Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2015
Application of therapeutic harp sounds for quality of life among hospitalized patients.
Hospitalized patients experience symptoms including pain and anxiety that may negatively affect their well-being and overall quality of life (QOL), even when medical interventions are deemed successful. ⋯ There is evidence of strong positive effects on the QOL of hospitalized patients who received therapeutic harp sound treatment along with standard care.
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Previous research documents the under-utilization of hospice services by minority ethnic groups, but less data exist for Asian and Hispanic Americans. It is unclear whether these low utilization rates are a result of attitudinal or information barriers, or both. ⋯ When surveyed in their preferred language, Asian and Hispanic adults reported variable levels of familiarity with hospice services. Most responded positively to receiving future information and would tell friends and family members about hospice.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2015
Teaching colleagues how to discuss prognosis as part of a hospital-wide quality improvement project: the positive impact of a 90-minute workshop.
Many physicians have difficulty with discussions about prognosis. The aims of this study were to evaluate why physicians struggle to discuss prognosis and to measure the effect of a 90-minute communication workshop on self-reported skill. ⋯ A short workshop on discussing prognosis was highly valued by physicians from diverse specialties and a majority reported using at least one of the communication skills learned.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2015
Diffusion of palliative care in nursing homes: lessons from the culture change movement.
Studies have found that nursing homes (NHs) that rely heavily on Medicaid funding are less likely to implement innovative approaches to care, such as palliative care (PC) or resident-centered approaches commonly referred to as "culture change" (CC). However, a nationally representative survey we previously conducted found that some high Medicaid facilities have implemented these innovative approaches. ⋯ PC advocates could learn much from the CC model in which advocates have used multipronged efforts to institute reform.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2015
Perceptions of complementary medicine integration in supportive cancer care of Arabs and Jews in Israel: a cross-cultural study.
There is a dearth of studies on how cultural background influences patients' attitudes and choices regarding complementary and traditional medicine (CTM) integration. ⋯ Although quality of life-related expectations are more pronounced among Jewish respondents, both groups share the expectation from their health care providers to be actively involved in construction of a tailored integrative CTM treatment plan.