Journal of palliative medicine
-
Little is known about optimal palliative and end-of-life care for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs). ⋯ Heterogeneity of study types, population, and small sample sizes makes it hard to draw broad conclusions regarding the best way to care for AIs/ANs. More studies are needed to assess this important topic.
-
Web-based applications are available for prognostication of individual patients. These prognostic models were developed for groups of patients. No one is the average patient, and using these calculators to inform individual patients could provide misleading results. ⋯ Instead of reporting average risk scores, web-based calculators may improve accuracy of predictions by reporting the unconfounded risks.
-
Lymphedema frequently develops as a long-term effect from cancer and/or its treatment, including head and neck cancer (HNC). There is a substantial lack of understanding regarding the symptoms and experiences related to head and neck lymphedema. ⋯ Clinicians need to inquire about tissue swelling and associated symptoms early in the post-treatment period to initiate lymphedema management strategies in a timely manner and facilitate reduction of long-term symptom burden and functional deficits.
-
Hospital admissions at the end of life (EOL) represent an established indicator of poor quality of care. ⋯ The intensity of integrated HPCCD plans of care was associated with a reduction in EOL hospital stay and in hospital death.
-
Describe the etiology of pain among HF patients and examine the relationship between pain and QoL. ⋯ Pain is prevalent and persistent, due largely to non-cardiac causes. Although pain did not predict QOL, it was associated with depression, which did adversely affect QoL. Clinicians should screen for and treat both symptoms.