Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2020
Ethical and research governance approval across Europe: Experiences from three European palliative care studies.
Research requires high-quality ethical and governance scrutiny and approval. However, when research is conducted across different countries, this can cause challenges due to the differing ethico-legal framework requirements of ethical boards. There is no specific guidance for research which does not involve non-medicinal products. ⋯ Researchers need to take the differences in research approval procedures into account when planning studies. Future research is needed to establish European-wide recommendations for policy and practice that dovetail ethical procedures and enhance transnational research collaborations.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2020
Opioid underuse in terminal care of long-term care facility residents with pain and/or dyspnoea: A cross-sectional PACE-survey in six European countries.
Opioids relieve symptoms in terminal care. We studied opioid underuse in long-term care facilities, defined as residents without opioid prescription despite pain and/or dyspnoea, 3 days prior to death. ⋯ Opioid underuse differs between countries. Pain and dyspnoea should be formally assessed at the end-of-life and taken into account in physicians orders.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2020
Meta AnalysisA mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis of barriers and facilitators to paediatric symptom management at end of life.
Symptom management for infants, children and young people at end of life is complex and challenging due to the range of conditions and differing care needs of individuals of different ages. A greater understanding of these challenges could inform the development of effective interventions. ⋯ There is a need for effective communication between healthcare professionals and families, more training for healthcare professionals, improved symptom management planning including anticipatory prescribing, and urgent attention paid to the patients' perspective.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2020
Specialist paediatric palliative care for children and young people with cancer: A mixed-methods systematic review.
Specialist paediatric palliative care services are promoted as an important component of palliative care provision, but there is uncertainty about their role for children with cancer. ⋯ Current evidence suggests that children and young people with cancer receiving specialist palliative care are cared for differently. However, little is understood about children's views, and research is needed to determine whether specialist input improves quality of life.