Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2021
CARING ADVANCED CANCER PATIENTS AT HOME DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK: BURNOUT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MORBIDITY AMONG PALLIATIVE CARE PROFESSIONALS IN ITALY.
Providing palliative care (PC) at home for patients with advanced cancer has become essential during the COVID-19 emergency. Nevertheless, the home PC professionals (PCPs) faced a challenging situation because of increased number of discharged patients, reduced availability of health-care facilities, and physical/relational barriers between them and patients. ⋯ In the age of COVID-19, the awareness of being at the forefront of containing the pandemic along with the sense of responsibility toward their high-risk patients may arouse PCPs' psychological distress, but, on the other hand, this condition may improve their sense of professional satisfaction and personal accomplishment.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2021
The content validity of the items related to the social and spiritual dimensions of the Utrecht Symptom Diary - 4 Dimensional from a patient's perspective: a qualitative study.
In palliative care, caregivers often lack words and competences to discuss patients' needs in social and spiritual dimensions. The Utrecht Symptom Diary-4 Dimensional (USD-4D) is an instrument that can be used to monitor symptoms and needs in the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions and to optimize communication between patients and caregivers. ⋯ The USD-4D constitutes a content valid PROM from the patient's perspective. The items support patients in identifying needs in the social and spiritual dimensions and in the conversation to further explore these needs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2021
Randomized Controlled Trial Pragmatic Clinical TrialElectro-acupuncture for post-stroke spasticity: results of a pilot pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
People with spasticity that occurred between 30 days and one year after stroke onset with a baseline Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) ≥1. ⋯ It is feasible to conduct a full-scale trial to precisely evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EA for treating poststroke spasticity; however, longer treatment and follow-up phases should be considered in the full-scale trial.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialNephrologist views regarding cannabinoid use in advanced chronic kidney disease and dialysis: a survey.
The efficacy and safety of cannabinoids to treat symptoms in individuals with kidney disease is uncertain. ⋯ Nephrologists broadly support the use and study of cannabinoids for symptoms in patients with kidney disease.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2021
Observational StudyCommunication and behavior of palliative care physicians of cancer patients near end-of-life in three East Asian countries.
The characteristics of physician communication with patients at the end of life (EOL) in East Asia have not been well studied. We investigated physicians' communications with imminently dying patients with cancer and their families in palliative care units (PCUs) in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. ⋯ Physicians in Taiwan communicated about patient's impending death most frequently, and physicians in all three countries generally provided assurance to families that the patients would remain comfortable. Further studies should explore the reasons for these differences and the effects of such communications in East Asia.