Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2012
ReviewWhat is the methodological rigour of palliative care research in long-term care facilities in Europe? A systematic review.
The European population is rapidly ageing, resulting in increasing numbers of older people dying in long-term care facilities. There is an urgent need for palliative care in long-term care facilities. ⋯ To improve future research on palliative care in long-term care facilities, agreement on what can be considered as palliative care in long-term care facilities and, the availability of well-developed and tested measurement instruments is needed to provide more evidence, and to make future research more comparable.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2012
Gender differences in prevalence of depression among patients receiving palliative care: the role of dependency.
in community studies the prevalence of depression is higher in women than men; however, in palliative care settings this relationship is usually less strong, absent or reversed. ⋯ depending on others for help with basic tasks appears to contribute to the burden of depression among men with terminal illness. This gender-specific association may explain why the usual gender differences in depression prevalence are not observed in palliative care.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialFeasibility, acceptability and potential effectiveness of Dignity Therapy for older people in care homes: a phase II randomized controlled trial of a brief palliative care psychotherapy.
A pilot study of Dignity Therapy conducted with hospice patients reported high levels of self-reported benefits of the psychotherapy. ⋯ Although Dignity Therapy took longer to deliver than expected, this intervention may be a way of enhancing the end-of-life experiences of residents.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2012
Predictors of non-remission of depression in a palliative care population.
Prospective studies of depression in palliative care are rare. Two studies that examine depression prospectively in patients with advanced disease have not looked at predictors of remission. ⋯ This study in palliative care is the first of which we are aware to explore factors associated with non-remission of depression. Depressed patients identified with low social support on referral to palliative care services might particularly benefit from additional psychosocial care in the treatment of their depression. This study provides evidence that effective physical symptom management in palliative care may be a valuable intervention for depressive symptoms.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2012
Development of a nationwide consensus syllabus of palliative medicine for undergraduate medical education in Japan: a modified Delphi method.
There is currently no consensus syllabus of palliative medicine for undergraduate medical education in Japan, although the Cancer Control Act proposed in 2007 covers the dissemination of palliative care. ⋯ A consensus syllabus of palliative medicine for undergraduate medical education was developed using a clear and innovative methodology. The final consensus syllabus will be made available for further dissemination of palliative care education throughout the country.