Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
A hospital-based palliative care service for patients with advanced organ failure in sub-Saharan Africa reduces admissions and increases home death rates.
Despite emerging data of cost savings under palliative care in various regions, no such data have been generated in response to the high burden of terminal illness in Africa. ⋯ These data demonstrate that an outpatient hospital-based service reduced admissions and improved the rate of home deaths and offers a feasible and cost-effective model for such settings.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2014
Dying with dementia: symptoms, treatment, and quality of life in the last week of life.
Burdensome symptoms present frequently in dementia at the end of life, but we know little about the symptom control provided, such as type and dosage of medication. ⋯ Symptoms are common in dementia at the end of life, despite the large majority of residents receiving opioids. Dosages may be suboptimal with regard to weighing of effects and side effects. Future research may employ observation on a day-to-day basis to better assess effectiveness of symptom control and possible side effects.