Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on end of life care delivery in care homes: A mixed method systematic review.
Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 is having a negative impact on the delivery of end of life care in care homes around the world. There is a need to collate current evidence to provide a comprehensive overview to assess extent of the problem. ⋯ The effect of the pandemic has been to exacerbate existing problems in the provision of end of life care in care homes for both service providers and users, making that which was previously opaque starkly visible. Future research is needed to explore the effects of the pandemic and its management on those receiving end of life care in care homes and their significant others.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Virtual models of care for people with palliative care needs living in their own home: A systematic meta-review and narrative synthesis.
Access to palliative care in the community enables people to live in their preferred place of care, which is often home. Community palliative care services struggle to provide timely 24-h services to patients and family. This has resulted in calls for 'accessible and flexible' models of care that are 'responsive' to peoples' changing palliative care needs. Digital health technologies provide opportunities to meet these requirements 24-h a day. ⋯ Prospero CRD42020200266.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
ReviewAttitudes and preferences towards palliative and end of life care in patients with advanced illness and their family caregivers in Latin America: A mixed studies systematic review.
Achieving universal access to palliative care is considered a global and equity priority. Understanding patients and caregivers' attitudes and preferences towards palliative and end-of-life care in Latin America is essential to develop person-centred services in the region. ⋯ Core themes provide context-specific evidence to inform the design of culturally sensitive palliative and end-of-life care services, models and public policies in Latin America.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
ReviewAttitudes and preferences towards palliative and end of life care in patients with advanced illness and their family caregivers in Latin America: A mixed studies systematic review.
Achieving universal access to palliative care is considered a global and equity priority. Understanding patients and caregivers' attitudes and preferences towards palliative and end-of-life care in Latin America is essential to develop person-centred services in the region. ⋯ Core themes provide context-specific evidence to inform the design of culturally sensitive palliative and end-of-life care services, models and public policies in Latin America.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Professionals', patients' and families' views on the use of opioids for chronic breathlessness: A systematic review using the framework method and pillar process.
In combination with non-pharmacological interventions, opioids may safely reduce chronic breathlessness in patients with severe illness. However, implementation in clinical practice varies. ⋯ There are significant barriers and enablers to the use of opioids for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness based on the knowledge, views and attitudes of clinicians, patients and families. Clinicians' interactions with patients and their families strongly influences adherence with opioid treatment regimens for chronic breathlessness. Clinicians', patients' and families' knowledge about the delicate balance between benefits and risks is generally poor. Education for all, but particularly clinicians, is likely to be a necessary (but insufficient) factor for improving implementation in practice.