Introduction:

neoplastic and cardiovascular diseases and degenerative processes predominate in these times, causing the appearance of the “chronic patient”, whose cure is considered very distant or unattainable. This favors a great boom of the palliative medicine, which is why an investigation was carried out on palliative care in Matanzas, Cuba. The vision of previous studies on the topic con support elements of criteria on health care needs in this regard.

Objective:

to compare the behavior of palliative care in three time periods through researches carried out.

Materials and methods:

a systematic review of three descriptive observational epidemiological studies-contained in three specialty completion theses in Internal Medicine-carried out in the province of Matanzas in three different time periods (2000-2001, 2009-2010 and 2017-2018), with the aim of making a comparison of the behavior of palliative care patients in patients in terminal and/or advances stages of their diseases.

Results:

although most of the studied were malignant neoplasms, there was the presence of other diseases as heart disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease, cerebrovascular disease, dementia and chronic kidney failure. The follow-up of the patients was assessed by the health team, as well as the evidence of unsatisfied resources needs and what this generates in caregivers.

Conclusions:

there are material needs that interfere in the quality of life of the sick people. Caregivers need care from the health team. It is necessary to encourage research and knowledge about palliative care.

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