Palliative & supportive care
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Palliat Support Care · Aug 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparing counseling and dignity therapies in home care patients: A pilot study.
Several studies have successfully tested psychosocial interventions in palliative care patients. Counseling is the technique most often employed. Dignity therapy (DT) has recently emerged as a tool that can be utilized to address patients' needs at the end of life. The aims of our study were to examine the effects of DT and counseling and to offer useful information that could be put into practice to better meet patients' needs. ⋯ Our study provided evidence for the efficacy of dignity therapy and counseling in improving the well-being of palliative home care patients, and it found better results in the counseling therapy group with respect to depression, resilience, and anxiety.
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Palliat Support Care · Aug 2016
ReviewAdvance care planning in motor neuron disease: A systematic review.
Motor neuron disease (MND) is an incurable progressive illness, characterized by incessant deterioration of neuromuscular function. Timely commencement of advance care planning (ACP) may enable patients to participate in future care choices. The present systematic review aimed to summarize what is known about the prevalence, content, patient/caregiver benefits, healthcare professional (HCP) awareness/support, and healthcare outcomes associated with ACP in the MND setting. ⋯ Important benefits may be associated with ACP in the context of a motor neuron disease (e.g., feelings of control/relief and refusal of unwanted treatments). However, further evidence is required to verify findings and identify optimal streamlined approaches (e.g., use of decision aids) consistent with patients' (and caregivers') needs over time.
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Palliat Support Care · Aug 2016
Comparative StudyBurnout among physicians in palliative care: Impact of clinical settings.
Burnout syndrome is a work-related professional distress. Palliative care physicians often have to deal with complex end-of-life situations and are at risk of presenting with burnout syndrome, which has been little studied in this population. Our study aims to identify the impact of clinical settings (in a palliative care unit (PCU) or on a palliative care mobile team (PCMT)) on palliative care physicians. ⋯ The prevalence of burnout in palliative care physicians was low and in fact lower than that reported in other populations (e.g., oncologists). Working on a palliative care mobile team can be a more risky situation, associated with a lack of medical and paramedical staff.
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Palliat Support Care · Aug 2016
Frequency, intensity, and correlates of spiritual pain in advanced cancer patients assessed in a supportive/palliative care clinic.
Regular assessments of spiritual distress/spiritual pain among patients in a supportive/palliative care clinic (SCPC) are limited or unavailable. We modified the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) by adding spiritual pain (SP) to the scale (0 = best, 10 = worst) to determine the frequency, intensity, and correlates of self-reported SP (≥1/10) (pain deep in your soul/being that is not physical) among these advanced cancer patients. ⋯ Spiritual pain, which is correlated with physical and psychological distress, was reported in more than 40% of ACPs. Employment of the ESAS-FS allows ACPs with SP to be identified and evaluated in an SCPC. More research is needed.