Articles: palliative-care.
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Oncology nursing forum · Nov 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialThe meaning of life intervention for patients with advanced-stage cancer: development and pilot study.
To develop the Meaning of Life Intervention in response to the need for brief and meaning-focused interventions in palliative care and to establish potential effect sizes for future full-scale randomized, controlled trials. ⋯ The Meaning of Life Intervention represents a potentially effective and efficient intervention that is feasible for implementation by nursing staff for patients with advanced-stage cancer in a palliative care setting.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Factors associated with attrition from a randomized controlled trial of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer.
The generalizability of palliative care intervention research is often limited by high rates of study attrition. This study examined factors associated with attrition from a randomized controlled trial comparing meaning-centered group psychotherapy (MCGP), an intervention designed to help advanced cancer patients sustain or enhance their sense of meaning to the supportive group psychotherapy (SGP), a standardized support group. ⋯ These findings highlight the challenge of maintaining advanced cancer patients in longitudinal research and suggest the need to consider alternative approaches (e.g., telemedicine) for patients who might benefit from group interventions but are too ill to travel.
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Contemp Clin Trials · Sep 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyLongitudinal Pediatric Palliative Care: Quality of Life & Spiritual Struggle (FACE): design and methods.
As life expectancy increases for adolescents ever diagnosed with AIDS due to treatment advances, the optimum timing of advance care planning is unclear. Left unprepared for end-of-life (EOL) decisions, families may encounter miscommunication and disagreements, resulting in families being charged with neglect, court battles and even legislative intervention. Advanced care planning (ACP) is a valuable tool rarely used with adolescents. ⋯ The mediating and moderating effects of threat appraisal, HAART adherence, and spiritual struggle on the relationships among FACE and quality of life and hospitalization/dialysis use will also be assessed. This study will be the first longitudinal study of an AIDS-specific model of ACP with adolescents. If successful, this intervention could quickly translate into clinical practice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A nurse practitioner directed intervention improves the quality of life of patients with metastatic cancer: results of a randomized pilot study.
There is a paucity of randomized studies evaluating the value of palliative interventions on a prospective basis in newly diagnosed oncology patients. We sought to prospectively evaluate quality of life (QoL) outcomes in advanced cancer patients who received discussion-based palliative care interventions from an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) integrated into the oncology team, and compare these outcomes with a control population. ⋯ An ARNP-directed intervention that explains the benefits of hospice and addresses advanced directives early in the course of metastatic cancer patients' treatment, is well received by the patients and their relatives and leads to measurable improvement in the patient's emotional and mental QoL.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Preparation for the end of life in patients with advanced cancer and association with communication with professional caregivers.
Previous studies regarding patients' end of life (EOL) preparation have focused mainly on practical tasks, such as advance directives. In this study, we investigate the relational and personal aspects of EOL preparation, using a patient-completed questionnaire, and examine associations with clinician-patient communication (CPC) and other variables. ⋯ A substantial minority of patients with advanced cancer but with good performance status are concerned about EOL preparation, particularly in relation to their families. Better CPC may help patients prepare not only practically but also personally and socially in relation to the dying process and the welfare of their families.