Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Observational StudyChanges in nurses' knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices toward palliative care for cancer patients in Japan: an analysis of two nationwide representative surveys in 2008 and 2015.
The Cancer Control Act was passed in Japan in 2007, and various additional programs on palliative care have been implemented to improve quality of life and relieve pain and suffering in patients with cancer. However, how clinical settings have changed remains unclear. ⋯ Nurses' palliative care knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices improved over the seven-year study period, especially in terms of expert support in designated cancer hospitals and knowledge among nurses in designated cancer hospitals.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Developing a short form of the German Barriers Questionnaire-II: A validation study in four steps.
Patient-related barriers to cancer pain management are most commonly assessed with the Barriers Questionnaire II (BQII; 27 items). ⋯ The BQII-G12 showed excellent psychometric properties in the preliminary testing, providing a new option for practice and research. Patient-related barriers to cancer pain management are crucial for adequate pain treatment. The new valid and reliable short BQII-G12 supports clinical practice and research by substantially reducing patient burden and resources needed to measure these barriers.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationThe Palliative Care Journey In Kenya And Uganda.
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial, and spiritual problems. This update is aimed at examining palliative care development/achievements and challenges in Kenya and Uganda and the role of various actors in palliative care establishment in the region. It assesses the policy environment, progress in education, access to essential medicines, palliative care implementation efforts, and legal and human rights work. ⋯ All these conditions will require palliative care services as the disease burden increases. Unfortunately, for many African countries, accessing palliative care services, including access to pain relief, remains very limited resulting in serious suffering for patients and their families. The interventions in Kenya and Uganda help palliative care organizations engage with their respective governments to ensure that the social and legal barriers impeding access to palliative care services are removed.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPalliative Care in Rwanda: Aiming for Universal Access.
In 2011, Rwanda's Ministry of Health set a goal of universal access to palliative care by 2020. Toward this audacious egalitarian and humanitarian goal, the Ministry of Health worked with partners to develop palliative care policies and a strategic plan, secure adequate supplies of opioid for the country, initiate palliative care training programs, and begin studying a model for integrating coordinated palliative care into the public health care system at all levels. It also initiated training of a new cadre of home-based care practitioners to provide palliative care in the home. Based on these developments, the goal appears within reach.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPalliative Care in Vietnam: Long-term Partnerships Yield Increasing Access.
Palliative care began in Vietnam in 2001, but steady growth in palliative care services and education commenced several years later when partnerships for ongoing training and technical assistance by committed experts were created with the Ministry of Health, major public hospitals, and medical universities. An empirical analysis of palliative care need by the Ministry of Health in 2006 was followed by national palliative care clinical guidelines, initiation of clinical training for physicians and nurses, and revision of opioid prescribing regulations. ⋯ Work is underway to test the hypothesis that insurance coverage of palliative home care not only can improve patient outcomes but also provide financial risk protection for patients' families and reduce costs for the health care system by decreasing hospital admissions near the end of life. A national palliative care policy and strategic plan are needed to maintain progress toward universally accessible cost-effective palliative care services.