Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2017
'It's not all just about the dying'. Kaumātua Māori attitudes towards physician aid-in dying: A narrative enquiry.
To explore kaumātua attitudes towards physician aid-in dying, to gain a clear understanding of how such attitudes may influence and shape their expectations of medical care at the end of life and to assist health professionals in Aotearoa/New Zealand to address the healthcare needs of older Māori near the end of life. ⋯ The study demonstrated that for these kaumātua, medical practices that hasten death such as physician aid-in dying are 'not all just about the dying'. Tikanga and kawa are important processes and concepts to understand during death and dying, and whānau are central to such processes being respected by those involved in the dying process. These factors are so closely intertwined that they cannot be considered in separation of each other.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2017
Issues using linkage of hospital records and death certificate data to determine the size of a potential palliative care population.
Studies aiming to identify palliative care populations have used data from death certificates and in some cases hospital records. The size and characteristics of the identified populations can show considerable variation depending on the data sources used. It is important that service planners and researchers are aware of this. ⋯ Health service planners and researchers need to be aware of the limitations when using hospital records and death certificate data to determine a potential palliative care population. The use of Emergency Department and other administrative data sources could further exacerbate this variation.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2017
From neighbour to carer: An exploratory study on the role of non-kin-carers in end-of-life care at home for older people living alone.
A growing number of older people are living in single households. They form a disadvantaged group within society as regards staying at home, most likely towards the end-of-life. It is mainly non-kin-carers who try to fulfil older people's desire for a home death, but very little is known about the challenges they face during their involvement. ⋯ Support of older people living alone, in particular until the last stage of life, comes along with multiple efforts. Respectful and supporting relationships between professional carers and non-kin-carers are vital to keep non-kin-carers involved.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2017
Palliative care education for medical students: Differences in course evolution, organisation, evaluation and funding: A survey of all UK medical schools.
A proportion of newly qualified doctors report feeling unprepared to manage patients with palliative care and end-of-life needs. This may be related to barriers within their institution during undergraduate training. Information is limited regarding the current organisation of palliative care teaching across UK medical schools. ⋯ Development, organisation, course evaluation and funding for palliative care teaching at UK medical schools are variable. This may have implications for delivery of effective palliative care education for medical students.