Thoughts on the end of life in patients with oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A qualitative interview study.

The analysis revealed three themes: Living in the present without a future; difficulty talking about the uncertainty; and feeling anxious about leaving family behind. Participants indicated that healthcare professionals should invite them to mutual discussions as it was easier to reject an invitation if they could not talk right then, than to initiate a discussion themselves. Start of home oxygen or a deteriorating health status may be an important time to clinically address existential and end-of-life issues.