Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
What makes the palliative care initial encounter meaningful? A descriptive study with patients with cancer, family carers and palliative care professionals.
The palliative care initial encounter can have a positive impact on the quality of life of patients and family carers if it proves to be a meaningful experience. A better understanding of what makes the encounter meaningful would reinforce the provision of person-centred, quality palliative care. ⋯ The initial encounter becomes meaningful when it facilitates a shared understanding of what palliative care entails and acknowledgement of the needs and/or roles of patients with cancer, family carers and professionals. Further studies are required to explore how a perception of acknowledgement may best be fostered in the initial encounter.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
ReviewEvidence-based models of rural palliative care: A systematic review.
Forty-five percent of the world's population lives in rural areas, yet their access to palliative care is quite limited. Identifying the care elements rural populations with palliative care needs require is critical to improving care outcomes. ⋯ A well-coordinated multidisciplinary team approach, led by clinicians with specialist palliative care expertise, integrated across local health care settings, using information systems and care planning, is critical to optimising rural palliative care patient outcomes. Rural patients and their families require timely input from specialist palliative care clinicians and information to address their needs.Prospero registration ID: CRD42020154273 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=154273.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
ReviewThe role of acculturation in the process of advance care planning among Chinese immigrants: A narrative systematic review.
Acculturation is the process of two different cultures coming into contact. It is unclear how acculturation influences Chinese immigrants' engagement in advance care planning due to the complexity and multifaceted nature of both acculturation and advance care planning. ⋯ Chinese immigrants' willingness to engage in advance care planning varied with their acculturation level. To engage them in advance care planning, we recommend adapting the introduction of advance care planning to address people's perceptions of their cultural identity, filial piety, and autonomy, as well as their preference for certain approach, initiator, context, and language.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of advance care planning in care dependent community-dwelling older persons (STADPLAN): A cluster-randomised controlled trial.
Most randomised controlled trials on advance care planning were conducted in people with advanced, life-limiting illnesses or in institutional settings. There are few studies on its effect in older people living in the community. ⋯ The intervention showed no relevant effects on patient activation or quality of life in community dwelling older persons, possibly indicating the need for more tailored interventions. However, results are limited by a lack of statistical power.