2.2. Setting and Participants
DISEASE
Participants were recruited from the day hospitals of two medical institutions in the central region of Portugal. The services in both contexts are especially dedicated to providing healthcare to chronic patients at different stages of the disease, including the palliative phase, in a clinic with less than 24 h access and surveillance. After the main researcher (AQ) explained the study, each participant signed a written consent form before participating in the study. Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines were followed throughout the study [