Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2023
Case ReportsCongruent Communication: Addressing culture and care for a seriously ill Rohingya infant.
Pediatric palliative care teams seek to collaboratively promote the quality of life for children with serious medical illness in the context of the values expressed by the patient and family. Especially for infants with high medical fragility, shared decision making can be a complex task that often requires flexibility to respond to the clinical circumstances at hand, as well as contextualization within the family culture. In this paper, we present the case of an infant with a severe congenital brain malformation who was born in an American hospital to a Rohingya-speaking, Burmese family whose care preferences seemed to oscillate between comfort-focused and life-prolonging without clear acknowledgement of the consequences of shifting between treatment plans. Discussion of this case helps to illustrate the cultural factors, ethical challenges, and systems-level issues that can arise for medical teams in seeking to promote patient-centered care that respects family values while also honoring the principle of nonmaleficience.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2023
National Survey Using CFIR to Assess Early Outpatient Specialty Palliative Care Implementation.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends that outpatient specialty palliative care (OSPC) be offered within eight weeks of an advanced cancer diagnosis. To meet the rising demand, there has been an increase in the availability of OSPC services at National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers; however, many OSPC referrals still occur late in the disease course. ⋯ Most barriers were modifiable in nature and related to the "Inner Setting" domain of the CFIR, which highlights the need for careful strategic planning by leadership when implementing early OSPC.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2023
Higher Stress In Oncology Patients Is Associated With Cognitive and Evening Physical Fatigue Severity.
Cognitive and physical fatigue are common symptoms experienced by oncology patients. Exposure to stressful life events (SLE), cancer-related stressors, coping styles, and levels of resilience may influence the severity of both dimensions of fatigue. ⋯ To decrease both cognitive and evening physical fatigue, clinicians need to assess for relevant stressors and initiate interventions to increase resilience and the use of engagement coping strategies. Additional research is warranted on the relative contribution of various social determinants of health to both cognitive and physical fatigue in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy.