Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2015
Multicenter StudyValidation of the Simplified Palliative Prognostic Index Using a Single Item From the Communication Capacity Scale.
Although the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) is a reliable and validated tool to predict the survival of terminally ill cancer patients, all clinicians cannot always precisely diagnose delirium. ⋯ The simplified PPI showed essentially the same predictive value as the original PPI and is an alternative when clinicians have difficulties in diagnosing delirium.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2015
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyThe Complementary Nature of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Adverse Event Reporting in Cooperative Group Oncology Clinical Trials: A Pooled Analysis (NCCTG N0591).
Clinical trials use clinician-graded adverse events (AEs) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to describe symptoms. ⋯ These results support previous work and an a priori hypothesis that AEs and PROs measure differing aspects of the disease experience and are complementary.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2015
Multicenter StudyUnderstanding Models of Palliative Care Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa: Learning From Programs in Kenya and Malawi.
The need for palliative care has never been greater. From being significantly present in only five African countries in 2004, palliative care is now delivered in nearly 50% of African countries; however, less than 5% of people in need receive it. To scale-up palliative care, we need greater knowledge about how different models of palliative care work within different health systems. ⋯ The models are also closely associated with the physical setting of services. Understanding how the services have developed because of, and indeed despite the geographical setting and the system level, provides us with a different set of indicators of program structure incorporated into the three models. The analysis of models provides pointers to future planning for palliative care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2015
Multicenter StudyLinguistic Validation of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory in Persian-Speaking Iranian Cancer Patients.
Various symptoms frequently affect cancer patients' quality of life. Appropriate assessment of these symptoms provides valuable data for cancer management. ⋯ The MDASI-P is a feasible, valid, and reliable instrument for evaluation of symptoms in Persian-speaking cancer patients and can be used to improve symptom management in these patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Aug 2015
Multicenter StudyThe Accuracy of Physicians' Clinical Predictions of Survival in Patients With Advanced Cancer.
Accurate prognoses are needed for patients with advanced cancer. ⋯ Physicians tend to overestimate when predicting survival in all palliative care patients, including those receiving chemotherapy.