Der Schmerz
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Review Comparative Study
[Topical pain therapy in oral mucositis: a systematic review].
The pain provoked by mucositis is often described as the most excruciating symptom of cancer treatment. It often causes reduced ingestion, malnutrition, and sometimes postponement or withdrawal of the therapy. For health care providers, adequate pain treatment is a major challenge. The aim of this article is to present an overview of studies on the topical treatment of mucositis pain. ⋯ Based on the information gathered in this systematic search of the literature, topical treatment of mucositis pain today is based on empiricism and not on scientific evidence.
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The purpose of this study was to determine patients' travel distances to a tertiary paediatric pain clinic and to analyse the association between travel distance and the parents' occupational skill level and the patients' pain characteristics. ⋯ The association between travel distance and parental occupational skill level suggests that there is social injustice due to access barriers based on socioeconomic deprivation and education. An increase in the number of health care facilities for chronic pain in children would be a first step in rectifying this injustice.
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In 2013 palliative medicine (PM) will be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum as part of the mandatory education in German medical universities. The aim of this study is to determine the current state of implementation at German medical faculties (MF). ⋯ The implementation of the mandatory training in PM at MFs in Germany is inhomogeneous. Further steps include in particular the development of a competence-based curriculum and assessment.
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Observational Study
[End of life care in general practice: results of an observational survey with general practitioners].
Little is known about the amount of end of life care provided by general practitioners (GPs) in Germany. Therefore the aim of the HAVEL study is to describe the involvement of GPs in end of life care in more detail. ⋯ General practitioners are highly involved in palliative health care, even for patients who eventually die in hospitals. Differences in patient characteristics and circumstances compared to specialized palliative care should be reflected in curricula for training in palliative care and the definition of a palliative situation.