Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2020
Bereavement care interventions for children under the age of 18 following the death of a sibling: a systematic review.
Childhood bereavement after sibling death is common, but often unrecognized. The psychosomatic and socioeconomic outcomes of bereaved children can be compromised if appropriate care is unavailable during the formative years leading into adulthood. ⋯ Existing literature most likely gives an incomplete picture of appropriate childhood bereavement care, and many interventions possibly remain unpublished or published in other non-scientific sources. An effective response to childhood grief would involve collaboration between medical resources and community services, reinforced through the development of outreach and training programs.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2020
A dignified last phase of life for patients with a migration background: A qualitative study.
Preserving personal dignity is an important part of palliative care. Generally, autonomy, independency and not being a burden to others are emphasised for preserving dignity. Dignity has not been studied yet from the perspective of the growing group of patients with a migration background living in Western countries. ⋯ Religion and appropriate involvement of family members are important aspects of dignity in the last phase of life, in addition to autonomy and independency. Care professionals need to take these factors into account in order to provide person-centred care.
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Palliative medicine · Oct 2020
Observational StudyThe Palliative Performance Scale predicts mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a substantial mortality risk with increased rates in the elderly. We hypothesized that age is not sufficient, and that frailty measured by preadmission Palliative Performance Scale would be a predictor of outcomes. Improved ability to identify high-risk patients will improve clinicians' ability to provide appropriate palliative care, including engaging in shared decision-making about life-sustaining therapies. ⋯ Preadmission Palliative Performance Scale independently predicts mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Improved predictors of mortality can help clinicians caring for patients with COVID-19 to discuss prognosis and provide appropriate palliative care including decisions about life-sustaining therapy.
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Palliative medicine · Oct 2020
Comparative StudyThe need for early referral to palliative care especially for Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in a COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a service evaluation.
Palliative care services face challenges in adapting and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how palliative care needs and outcomes have changed during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic is crucial to inform service planning and research initiatives. ⋯ Early referral to palliative care is essential in COVID-19, especially for Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. There is urgent need to research why Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients are referred late; how palliative care services have changed; and possible solutions to setting up responsive, flexible, and integrated services.