Palliative & supportive care
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Palliat Support Care · Dec 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacy of dignity therapy for depression and anxiety in terminally ill patients: early results of a randomized controlled trial.
Dignity therapy (DT) is a short-term psychotherapy developed for patients living with a life-limiting illness. Our aim was to determine the influence of DT on symptoms of depression and anxiety in people with a life-threatening disease with high level of distress, referred to an inpatient palliative care unit. ⋯ DT appears to have a short-term beneficial effect on the depression and anxiety symptoms that often accompany patients at the end of their lives. Future research with larger samples compared with other treatments is needed to better understand the potential benefits of this psychotherapy.
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Palliat Support Care · Dec 2013
Consistency of symptom clusters among advanced cancer patients seen at an outpatient supportive care clinic in a tertiary cancer center.
Advanced cancer patients often develop severe physical and psychological symptom clusters (SCs), but limited data exist on their consistency or severity after an outpatient interdisciplinary team consultation led by palliative care specialists. The primary aim of the study was to determine the consistency and severity of SCs in advanced cancer patients in this setting. ⋯ We conclude that SCs remain constant between baseline and near-term follow-up but that the severity of those symptoms lessened during that interval. This knowledge may allow palliative care teams to provide more targeted and higher-quality care, but further studies are needed.
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Palliat Support Care · Dec 2013
ReviewPain relief, spiritual needs, and family support: three central areas in intercultural palliative care.
The purpose of this study was to draw out and coalesce the topic-specific information found in research literature regarding the provision of culturally sensitive palliative practice. ⋯ Formal education and in-service programs are needed for healthcare providers, together with empirical studies regarding how to achieve more culturally appropriate care in intercultural palliative practice. The immigrant population needs to be educated about cancer and the various kinds of palliative and hospice care offered in the society in which they now live.