Journal of palliative medicine
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Hospice use is low in Latinos but we know little about explanations for this pattern. ⋯ Hospice knowledge may be necessary but is not sufficient to increase hospice use among immigrant Latinos. Latino social networks and organizations may provide a natural leverage point for interventions. Interventions to increase hospice use may need to consider culturally related values.
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End-of-life discussions can be stressful and can elicit strong emotions in the provider as well as the patient and family. In palliative care, understanding and effectively addressing emotions is a key skill that can enhance professional competency and patient/family satisfaction with care. ⋯ In particular, we illustrate how these techniques and others were used to reveal and address the "hidden" emotions, attitudes, and values that were central to the communication dilemma. Finally, we present an evaluation completed by the 26 participants who attended the course.
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Although corticosteroids are commonly used for symptom relief in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer, few studies have addressed nationwide physician-reported practices and attitudes toward corticosteroid therapy in palliative care settings. ⋯ The use of corticosteroids is very common in Japanese palliative care units, but physicians reported varying practices and attitudes regarding administration protocols. Future studies are needed to determine the standard treatment protocol for corticosteroid use in the terminally ill.