Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
Review Meta AnalysisUnmet supportive care needs among cancer patients in Sub-Saharan African countries: a mixed method systematic review and meta-analysis.
Supportive cancer care is vital to reducing the current disparities in cancer outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including poor survival and low quality of life, and ultimately achieving equity in cancer care. This is the first review aimed to evaluate the extent of unmet supportive care needs and identify their contributing factors among patients with cancer in SSA. ⋯ In SSA, optimal cancer care provision was low, up to two-thirds of patients reported unmet needs for one or more domains. Strengthening efforts to develop comprehensive and integrated systems for supportive care services are keys to improving the clinical outcome, survival, and quality of life of cancer patients in SSA.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
ReviewExpressive Arts Interventions to Improve Psychosocial Well-being in Caregivers: A Systematic Review.
Over 43 million caregivers provide care and support in the United States. Increased stress and burden may contribute to poor psychosocial well-being. Recently, there has been an emergence of art-based interventions to improve well-being among care receivers and caregivers. A synthesis of this literature evaluating expressive arts interventions (EAIs) with caregivers is needed. ⋯ Caregivers are essential to the care of people with medically complex and life-limiting conditions. EAIs hold the potential to improve psychosocial outcomes for caregivers, are used globally, and can be culturally tailored. Future research should examine intervention duration and intensity, measures to address additional dimensions of psychsocial well-being, and implementation in additional caregiver populations.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
Multicenter StudyGabapentin for pain in pediatric palliative care.
Gabapentin is commonly used to treat pain in children receiving pediatric palliative care. This study describes the real-world use of gabapentin and the associated benefits and adverse effects/events (AEs). ⋯ Gabapentin prescribed at standard doses for advanced cancer and severe neurological injury in children under a pediatric palliative care service was associated with generally improved pain intensity at previously described levels of adverse effects.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
A phase II study of High-Flow Nasal Cannula for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients.
The efficacy and tolerability of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients with limited prognosis requires elucidation. ⋯ To our knowledge, this trial is the first prospective study to assess the five-day efficacy and tolerability of HFNC for dyspnea in patients under palliative care. Although this did not reach the prespecified endpoint, about half of the patients showed 1.0 point improvement, a minimally clinically important difference (MCID) in the chronic lung disease. HFNC can be a palliative treatment option in advanced cancer patients with dyspnea.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2024
Pilot Implementation of the Responding to Urgency of Need in Palliative Care (RUN-PC) Triage Tool.
Specialist palliative care services must balance provision of needs-based care within resource restraints. The Responding to Urgency of Need in Palliative Care (RUN-PC) Triage Tool is a novel, evidence-based, 7-item prioritization tool, with recommended response times for any given score. ⋯ The RUN-PC Triage Tool is feasible to implement, with high clinician acceptability and virtually no additional time required. The recommended response times are feasible and highlight target areas for improvement. Implementation of the tool enables palliative care services to better characterize their referral population and, in turn, improve transparency around access to care.