Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyFeasibility of using algorithm-based clinical decision support for symptom assessment and management in lung cancer.
Distressing symptoms interfere with the quality of life in patients with lung cancer. Algorithm-based clinical decision support (CDS) to improve evidence-based management of isolated symptoms seems promising, but no reports yet address multiple symptoms. ⋯ The CDS systems, such as SAMI-L, have the potential to fill a gap in promoting evidence-based care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2015
Multicenter Study Observational StudySymptom burden of cancer patients: validation of the German M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory: a cross-sectional multicenter study.
Cancer patients frequently suffer from various symptoms often impairing functional status and quality of life. To enable timely supportive care, these symptoms must be assessed adequately with reliable tools. ⋯ The MDASI-German version is a valid tool for measuring patient-reported symptom severity and symptom interference in German cancer patients. It is easily applicable and can be used by German clinicians and researchers for screening and monitoring purposes and the comparison of international data.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyLong-term psychosocial outcomes among bereaved siblings of children with cancer.
The death of a child from cancer affects the entire family. Little is known about the long-term psychosocial outcomes of bereaved siblings. ⋯ How siblings experience the death of a child with cancer may impact their long-term psychosocial well-being. Sibling-directed communication and concurrent supportive care during the cancer experience and the year after the sibling death may mitigate poor long-term outcomes.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyPretreatment information on dysphagia: exploring the views of head and neck cancer patients.
Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) are a common acute and chronic side effect of head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment. Dysphagia is associated with medical concerns such as malnutrition and pulmonary health as well as quality of life outcomes. Providing information on the likely changes to swallowing is an important component of pretreatment preparation. There is little research providing the patients' perspective in this area. ⋯ Patients require information on the impact and prognosis for their swallowing ability. There was a general preference for verbal information, from someone knowledgeable about dysphagia. However, there are also individual preferences for the manner and pace at which this information is delivered. Further research is indicated to explore ways of providing information that is individually tailored to patients' needs and preferences.