Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2023
Real world experience of change in psycho-existential symptoms in palliative care.
Psycho-existential symptoms in palliative care are addressed insufficiently. Routine screening, ongoing monitoring and meaningful treatment of psycho-existential symptoms may contribute to the relief of suffering in palliative care. ⋯ As we better recognize through screening patients carrying psycho-existential distress in palliative care programs, there is considerable room for improvement in ameliorating this suffering. Inadequate clinical skills, poor psychosocial staffing or a biomedical program culture may all contribute to inadequate symptom control. Person-centered care necessitates greater attention to authentic multidisciplinary care that ameliorates psycho-spiritual and existential distress.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2023
Increasing Trend and Effects of Pediatric Palliative Care on Children with Non-Cancer Diagnoses.
Pediatric palliative care (PPC), especially among noncancer pediatric patients, faces challenges including late referral, limited patient care, and insufficient data for Asian patients. ⋯ High disparities exist between children receiving PPC in cancer versus noncancer patients. The concept of PPC is gradually becoming accepted in noncancer children and is associated with more pain-relief medication and less suffering during end-of-life care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2023
Integrated hospital- and home-based palliative care for cancer patients in Vietnam: People-centered outcomes.
Hospital-based palliative care (PC) linked to palliative home care is rarely accessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). ⋯ Integration of hospital- and home-based PC for cancer patients is feasible and improves people-centered outcomes at low cost in Vietnam. These data suggest that benefits to patients, their families, and the health care system can accrue from integration of PC at all levels in Vietnam and other LMICs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2023
HOPE: A Pilot Study of Psilocybin Enhanced Group Psychotherapy in Patients with Cancer.
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy shows promise in treating depression and existential distress in people with serious medical illness. However, its individual-based methodology poses challenges for scaling and resource availability. The HOPE trial (A Pilot Study of Psilocybin Enhanced Group Psychotherapy in Patients with Cancer) is an Institutional Review Boards-approved open-label feasibility and safety pilot study examining psilocybin-assisted group therapy in cancer patients with a DSM-5 depressive disorder (including major depressive disorder as well as adjustment disorder with depressed mood). We report here the safety and clinical outcome measures including six-months follow up data. ⋯ This pilot study demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and possible efficacy of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for cancer patients dealing with depressive symptoms. Based on demonstrated efficacy and significant reductions in therapist time, future investigations with the group therapy model are warranted.