Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Association between loneliness and the frequency of using online peer support groups among cancer patients with minor children: a cross-sectional web-based study.
Cancer patients with minor children are increasing; however, they do not receive sufficient support. ⋯ Frequent use of online peer support groups was associated with less loneliness among cancer patients with minor children.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Lack of Exposure to Palliative Care Training for Black Residents: A Study of Schools with Highest and Lowest Percentages of Black Enrollment.
The palliative medicine workforce lacks racial diversity with <5% of specialty Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) fellows identifying as black. Little is known about black trainees' exposure to palliative care during their medical education. ⋯ Residents at schools with the highest black medical student enrollment lack access to palliative care training opportunities. Efforts to reduce health disparities and underrepresentation in palliative care must begin with providing palliative-focused training to physicians from under-represented minority backgrounds.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Observational StudySelection Bias in Observational Studies of Palliative Care: Lessons Learned.
Palliative care (PC) programs are typically evaluated using observational data, raising concerns about selection bias. ⋯ This case study demonstrates that selection of comparison groups impacts the magnitude of measured and unmeasured confounding, which may change effect estimates. The substantial impact of confounding on effect estimates in this study raises concerns about the evaluation of novel serious illness care models in the absence of randomization. We present key lessons learned for improving future evaluations of PC using observational study designs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2021
Older age: A protective factor against perceived dignity related distress in patients with advanced cancer?
Most older adults will face threats to loss of health and social support, which can affect their perceived dignity. Although problems with perceived dignity increase in the context of cancer, the specific experience for those older compared with younger patients with advanced cancer has not been described despite its contributions to the wish to hasten death (WTHD). ⋯ Older age could be a protective factor against the perception of loss of dignity in patients with advanced cancer, a more positive perspective of the aging experience.