Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
"They were here, and they still matter": A qualitative study of bereaved parents legacy experiences and perceptions.
Legacy building interventions are used in pediatric healthcare settings to help families cope with difficult healthcare experiences and typically reserved for intentional use at or near the end of a child's life. However, little is known about how bereaved families perceive the concept of legacy that these practices are meant to address. Emerging research challenges the view of legacy as a standardized, handheld keepsake item but rather as a summation of qualities and experiences that affect those left behind. Therefore, more research is needed. ⋯ Bereaved parents/caregivers define and experience their child's legacy in ways and manifestations that conflict with current legacy building interventions used in pediatric healthcare settings. Thus, an immediate shift from standardized legacy-oriented care to individualized assessment and intervention is needed to provide high-quality patient- and family-centered pediatric palliative care.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
Review Meta AnalysisPerformance of the Palliative Prognostic Index for cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinician predicted survival for cancer patients is often inaccurate, and prognostic tools may be helpful, such as the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI). The PPI development study reported that when PPI score is greater than 6, it predicted survival of less than 3 weeks with a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 85%. When PPI score is greater than 4, it predicts survival of less than 6 weeks with a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 77%. However, subsequent PPI validation studies have evaluated various thresholds and survival durations, and it is unclear which is most appropriate for use in clinical practice. With the development of numerous prognostic tools, it is also unclear which is most accurate and feasible for use in multiple care settings. ⋯ PPI score>6 should be used for <3-week survival prediction, and PPI score>4 for <6-week survival. PPI is easily scored and does not require invasive tests, and thus would be easily implemented in multiple care settings. Given the acceptable accuracy of PPI in predicting <3- and <6-week survival and its objective nature, it could be used to cross-check clinician predicted survival especially when clinicians have doubts about their own judgement, or when clinician estimates seem to be less reliable. Future studies should adhere to the reporting guidelines and provide comprehensive analyses of PPI model performance.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
ReviewEvidence-based models of rural palliative care: A systematic review.
Forty-five percent of the world's population lives in rural areas, yet their access to palliative care is quite limited. Identifying the care elements rural populations with palliative care needs require is critical to improving care outcomes. ⋯ A well-coordinated multidisciplinary team approach, led by clinicians with specialist palliative care expertise, integrated across local health care settings, using information systems and care planning, is critical to optimising rural palliative care patient outcomes. Rural patients and their families require timely input from specialist palliative care clinicians and information to address their needs.Prospero registration ID: CRD42020154273 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=154273.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
ReviewAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for people with advanced progressive illness, their caregivers and staff involved in their care: A scoping review.
People with an advanced progressive illness and their caregivers frequently experience anxiety, uncertainty and anticipatory grief. Traditional approaches to address psychological concerns aim to modify dysfunctional thinking; however, this is limited in palliative care, as often concerns area valid and thought modification is unrealistic. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a mindfulness-based behavioural therapy aimed at promoting acceptance and valued living even in difficult circumstances. Evidence on its value in palliative care is emerging. ⋯ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is acceptable and feasible in palliative care, and may improve anxiety, depression, and distress. Full scale mixed-method evaluation studies are now needed to demonstrate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness amongst patients; while further intervention development and feasibility studies are warranted to explore its value for bereaved carers and staff.