BMJ supportive & palliative care
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2012
'They patiently heard what we had to say... this felt different to me': the palliative care needs and care experiences of advanced cancer patients and their families in Bangladesh.
In 2008, 70% of cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to describe the needs and experiences of patients and families who received palliative care in Bangladesh, and those of the providing clinicians, in order to inform fledgling service development. ⋯ To alleviate the distress to cancer patients and their families, it is essential for oncologists to receive adequate training in palliative care, especially in communication, holistic assessment and information giving. To meet the massive challenge in a country like Bangladesh, palliative care should be mainstreamed into the existing healthcare system for a feasible and sustainable public health approach.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2012
Comparative StudyComparing the needs of families of children dying from malignant and non-malignant disease: an in-depth qualitative study.
To examine the experiences of bereaved parents concerning the care provided to children who died from cancer compared to those who died from a non-malignant condition. ⋯ Community-based services for children and young people with cancer at the end of life were perceived by parents as responsive to parent and child needs. Conversely, community services for children and young people with non-malignant conditions were experienced as ad hoc and under-resourced. Community services for children with non-malignant conditions may require further development if they are to meet the levels of support offered to parents of children with cancer. If improvement is to be achieved, the need to raise awareness regarding hospice services, hospice referral and eligibility criteria across the entire gamut of service providers is essential.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2012
Barriers to providing end-of-life care for people with dementia: a whole-system qualitative study.
People with dementia may experience poor quality end-of-life care. The complex health and social care system may not meet their needs. The authors' objectives were to identify perceived and real barriers that prevent people with dementia and their carers receiving end-of-life care of acceptable quality. ⋯ Qualitative methods of service evaluation facilitated a broader and deeper understanding of a range of perspectives, which, with other components of rapid participatory appraisal, generated potential solutions to improve care.