BMJ supportive & palliative care
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
Communication about the impending death of patients with cancer to the family: a nationwide survey.
Explanation about the impending death of imminently dying patients with cancer is important for their families. However, little is known about how clinicians explain impending death and how families perceive the explanation. We aimed to clarify bereaved families' perception of the need for improvements in the explanation about impending death and to explore the factors contributing to the need. ⋯ Nearly a third of the bereaved families perceived some need to improve the explanation about impending death. To better help patients/families prepare for their end-of-life, clinicians should recognise and explain various impending death signs; find a balance between detailed explanation and excessive warning and address how long they could talk in the remaining time.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2018
What are the current challenges of managing cancer pain and could digital technologies help?
Pain remains a problem for people with cancer despite effective treatments being available. We aimed to explore current pain management strategies used by patients, caregivers and professionals and to investigate opportunities for digital technologies to enhance cancer pain management. ⋯ Cancer pain management takes place in the context of multiple, sometimes competing personal goals. It is possible that technology could be used to help patients share individual symptom experiences and goals, thus enhancing tailored care. The challenge is for digital solutions to add value without adding undue burden.