Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2013
Review Meta AnalysisEpisodic breathlessness in patients with advanced disease: a systematic review.
Although episodic breathlessness (EB) is reported to be highly prevalent in advanced disease, our understanding about it is limited. ⋯ EB is a common symptom in patients with advanced disease, but information about characteristics and experiences is limited. As there is no common terminology, an agreed definition is needed to foster research to develop effective treatments for EB.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialDelivery strategies to optimize resource utilization and performance status for patients with advanced life-limiting illness: results from the "palliative care trial" [ISRCTN 81117481].
Evidence-based approaches are needed to improve the delivery of specialized palliative care. ⋯ A single case conference added to current specialized community-based palliative care reduced hospitalizations and better maintained performance status. Comparatively, patient/caregiver education was less effective; GP education was not effective.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2013
Review Meta AnalysisSleep and sleep-wake disturbances in care recipient-caregiver dyads in the context of a chronic illness: a critical review of the literature.
Alterations in sleep-wake patterns of care recipients and their informal caregivers are common in the context of a chronic illness. Given the current notion that sleep may be regulated within and affected by close human relationships, concurrent and interrelated sleep problems may be present in care recipient-caregiver dyads. ⋯ The dyadic investigation of sleep is a promising approach to the development of truly effective interventions to improve sleep quality of care recipients and their caregivers. Nevertheless, more systematic, longitudinal dyadic research is warranted to augment our understanding of co-occurrence and over time changes of sleep problems in care recipient-caregiver dyads, as well as to clarify covariates/factors that appear to contribute to these problems within the dyad and across time and context of illness.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2013
Factor analysis of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in breast cancer survivors.
Sleep is a significant problem in breast cancer survivors (BCS) and measured frequently using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Thus, it is important to evaluate its factor structure. The two-process model of sleep regulation was the theoretical framework for this study. ⋯ Results were inconsistent with current PSQI scoring that assumes a single global factor and with previously published literature. Although a new two-factor model best fit the data, further quantitative and qualitative analyses are warranted to validate our results in other populations before revising PSQI scoring recommendations. Additional recommendations are described for research.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2013
Putting on a happy face: emotional expression in parents of children with serious illness.
Communication is widely acknowledged as a crucial component of high-quality pediatric medical care, which is provided in situations in which parents typically experience strong emotions. ⋯ The inverse relationship between parents' positive emotional expression and their self-reported positive affect should remind both researchers and clinicians to be cognizant of the possibilities for emotional miscues, and consequent miscommunication, in the pediatric care setting.