The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Aug 2009
Impact of biopsychosocial factors on chronic pain in persons with myotonic and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
To assess the role of biopsychosocial factors in patients with type 1 myotonic and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (MMD1/FSHD) with chronic pain. Associations between psychosocial factors were found to be important in other samples of persons with pain and both psychological functioning and pain interference in a sample of patients suffering from MMD/FSHD. Prospective, multiple group, survey study of 182 patients with confirmed MMD1 and FSHD. ⋯ Analyses indicated that greater catastrophizing was associated with increased pain interference and poorer psychological functioning, pain attitudes were significantly related to both pain interference and psychological functioning, and coping responses were significantly related only to pain interference. In addition, greater perceived social support was associated with better psychological functioning. The results support the use of studying pain in persons with MMD/FSHD from a biopsychosocial perspective, and the importance of identifying psychosocial factors that may play a role in the adjustment to and response to pain secondary to MMD/FSHD.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Aug 2009
Length of survival in hospice for cancer patients referred from a comprehensive cancer center.
This retrospective study examined 180 hospice patients referred from a comprehensive cancer center over 6 months in 2002 to (1) identify the variables associated with shorter length of survival (LOS) in hospice and (2) examine the LOS in hospice for those who previously participated in clinical trials and/or phase I studies. The median LOS in hospice for this cohort was 35 days. In multivariate analysis, low Palliative Performance Score (PPS) at hospice enrollment and male gender were associated with shorter LOS in hospice: males with low PPS had the shortest LOS while females with high PPS had the longest LOS. No correlation was found between the LOS in hospice and prior participation in clinical trials and/or phase I studies.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Aug 2009
Influence of prayer and prayer habits on outcome in patients with severe head injury.
The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of prayers on the recovery of the unconscious patients admitted after traumatic brain injury. ⋯ Patients with prayers habits recovered better following severe head injury. The role of intercessory prayer needs further studies in larger groups.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Aug 2009
Patient perceptions on the use of advance directives and life prolonging technology.
Use of advance directives is underutilized despite the Patient Self Determination Act of 1990. This study was undertaken to determine use and opinions of advance directives by patients at a multidisciplinary. ⋯ While adequately describing use and attitudes toward advance directives, it is significant to note that patients believe their wishes for end-of-life care will be honored; however, they fail to take the necessary steps to guarantee this.