The primary focus of this literature search is selected articles, etc., on key issues in end-of-life care for which the full text is available online. Added, however, are a few noteworthy articles, etc., but for which access to the full text is available only with a subscription or for a one-time fee for the article in question.1 Also listed are a few postings of special interest on key websites that serve the hospice and palliative care communities-at-large, and selected news media reports. The next listing will be published in approximately four to six weeks.
Articles of particular interest.
Libraries in educational institutions and medical centres may have a subscription to the journal in question and hold a photocopying licence, which may facilitate cost-effective access.
Related:
5.2 ‘Dimensions of suffering and the need for palliative care: Experiences and expectations of patients living with cancer and diabetes and their caregivers in Mexico – a qualitative study,’ BMJ Open. Posted online 14 December 2023. Full text
Related:
6.2 ‘Palliative Care progress in Benin: A situation analysis using the WHO development indicators,’ Research Square. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
N.B. This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal.
6.3 ‘The acute needs for palliative care services in Ethiopia,’ Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 2023;33(6):924-926. Full text (click on pdf icon)
6.4 ‘Experiences of patients with advanced chronic disease transitioning to palliative care in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review,’ Rwanda Journal of Medicine & Health Sciences, 2023;6(3):411-422. Full text (click on pdf icon)
N.B. This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal.
Related:
2.2 ‘Changes in care managers’ positive attitudes toward dying patients compared to that of nurses by one-day online advance care planning communication training,’ Palliative Care & Social Practice. Posted online 4 January 2024. Full text
2.3 ‘Long-term impact of the end-of-life care nursing education consortium on knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of Indian nurses working in non-palliative care settings: A KAP-GAP analysis,’ American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine. Posted online 3 January 2024. Full text
2.4 ‘Building bridges of excellence: A comprehensive competence framework for nurses in hospice and palliative care – a mixed method study,’ BMC Palliative Care. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
Related:
3.2 ‘Palliative care: Perception of teaching and evaluation of concepts among medical undergraduates,’ Revista Bioética. Accessed online 21 December 2023. Full text
Related:
Website Postings of Interest: ‘The grateful leper and the miracle of morphine...,’ eHospice, 19 December 2023; ‘Ongoing pain medicine shortages risks quality of life for all Australians,’ Palliative Care Australia, 11 December 2023.
N.B. This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal.
N.B. This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal.
Identifying Patients with Palliative Care Needs
Related:
1.2 ‘Screening instruments for early identification of unmet palliative care needs: A systematic review and meta-analysis,’ BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Posted online 28 December 2023. Full text
Hospital Palliative Care Services
Related:
2.2 ‘Outpatient palliative care service involvement: A five-year experience from a tertiary hospital in Switzerland,’ Palliative Medicine Reports. Posted online 5 January 2024. Full text
2.3 ‘How do you ethically integrate a GIP [General Inpatient] hospice service into the hospital?’ The Hospitalist. Posted online 2 January 2024. Full text
Technology
Related:
3.2 ‘Mobile application-based communication facilitation platform for family members of critically ill patients: A randomized clinical trial,’ JAMA Network Open. Posted online 4 January 2024. Full text
3.3 ‘The sound of grief: A critical discussion on the experience of creating and listening to the digitally reproduced voice of the deceived,’ Omega – Journal of Death & Dying. Posted online 4 January 2024. Full text
3.4 ‘Information science and the inevitable: A literature review at the intersection of death and information management,’ Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology. Posted online 28 December 2023. Full text
3.5 ‘Resisting the (re-)medicalisation of dying and grief in the post-digital age: Natural language processing and qualitative analysis of data from internet support forums,’ Social Science & Medicine. Posted online 24 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
3.6 ‘Artificial intelligence decision support tools for end-of-life care planning conversations,’ Canadian Journal of Health Technologies, 2023;3(12):1-15. Full text
Community & Home-Based Palliative Care
Related:
4.2 ‘Palliative medicine specialist and general practitioner interactions: National survey,’ BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Posted online 4 January 2024. Full text
4.3 ‘From comfort zone to front-line care: Perspectives and reflections of community pharmacists entering home-based palliative care,’ BMC Palliative Care. Posted online 3 January 2024. Full text
4.4 ‘Unresolved palliative care needs of elderly non-cancer patients at home: A multicenter prospective study,’ Journal of Primary Care & Community Health. Posted online 22 December 2023. Full text
4.5 ‘The family caregiver needs assessment questionnaire for home hospice care of the dying elderly in Mainland China: Tool development and psychometric evaluation,’ Healthcare. Posted online 19 December 2023. Full text
N.B. This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal.
4.6 ‘The work of palliative care from the perspectives of district nurses: A qualitative study,’ Journal of Advanced Nursing. Posted online 18 December 2023. Full text
4.7 ‘Systemic strengths and needs in palliative home care: Exploring complexity,’ Revista Clínica Española (English Edition). Posted online 13 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
4.8 ‘Exploring the needs and coping strategies of family caregivers taking care of dying patients at home: A field study,’ BMC Palliative Care. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
4.9 ‘Age-friendly communities: Are they also “friendly” for death, dying, grief, and bereavement?’ Canadian Journal on Aging. Posted online 11 December 2023. Full text
4.10 ‘Compassionate interprofessional and interagency community: Palliative care,’ Hospice & Palliative Medicine International Journal, 2023;6(3):81-82. Full text
4.11 ‘Enabling community: A missing link in establishing end-of-life care continuum,’
EFI Journal, 2023;4(4):134-137. Full text
Website Posting of Interest: ‘Desperate situation faced by family carers in the UK is unsustainable,’ eHospice, 25 December 2023.
News Media Report of Interest: ‘Japan’s high hospital death rate: A case for home-care,’ BNN. Posted online 8 January 2024. Full text https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/health/japans-high-hospital-death-rate-a-case-for-home-care/; ‘Portugal among countries where fewer people die at home,’ Portugal Resident. Posted online 3 January 2024. Full text
Care Planning & Serious Illness Conversations
Related:
5.2 ‘What clinicians and researchers should know about the evolving field of advance care planning: A Narrative review,’ Journal of General Internal Medicine. Posted online 2 January 2024. Full text
5.3 ‘Navigating and communicating about serious illness and end of life,’ The New England Journal of Medicine. Posted online 20 December 2023. Full text (click on “get free access now”)
5.4 ‘End-of-life care discussions with healthcare providers and dying experiences: A latent class analysis using the health and retirement study,’ Archives of Gerontology & Geriatrics. Posted online 18 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
5.5 ‘Application of motivational interviewing to group: Teaching advance care planning via group visits for clinical professionals,’ Patient Education & Counseling. Posted online 14 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
5.6 ‘Physicians’ perceptions of the implementation of the serious illness care program: A qualitative study,’ BMC Health Services Research. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
5.7 ‘The role of patients’ stories in medicine: A systematic scoping review,’ BMC Palliative Care. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
5.8 ‘Acceptability and usability of the planning advance care together (PACT) website for improving patients’ engagement in advance care planning,’ PEC Innovation. Posted online 12 December 2023. Full text
News Media Report of Interest: ‘The language of hospice can help us get better at discussing death,’ Time (U.S.). Posted online 18 December 2023. Full text
N.B. Commentary on ‘The words we die by,’ Social Science & Medicine. Accessed online 14 December 2023. Full text
COVID-19
Related:
6.2 ‘The rise of home death in the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based study of death certificate data for adults from 32 countries, 2012-2021,’ eClinicalMedicine (Part of The Lancet Discovery Science). Posted online 2 January 2024. Full text
6.3 ‘Trends in utilisation of palliative care services in COVID-19 patients and their impact on hospital resources in the USA: Insights from the national inpatient sample,’ BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Posted online 22 December 2023. Full text
News Media Report of Interest: ‘Compromised connections: The impact of COVID-19 on hospice care,’ Marie Curie (U.K.). Accessed online 16 December 2023.
End-of-Life Care in Intensive Care
Pediatric Palliative Care
Related:
8.2 ‘Withholding and withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy in terminally ill children with cancer: A position statement by the PHO chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics,’ Pediatric Hematology Oncology Journal. Posted online 4 January 2024. Full Text
8.3 ‘International perspectives on pediatric palliative care: Mexico,’ Current Problems in Pediatric & Adolescent Health Care. Posted online 3 January 2024. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
8.4 ‘Gaps in pediatric oncologic end-of-life care as recounted by the bereaved parents in Israel,’ Journal of Pediatric Nursing. Posted online 31 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
8.5 ‘Approaches to the development of pediatric palliative care,’ Rehabilitation & Recreation. Posted online 29 December 2023. Full text (click on pdf/English icon)
8.6 ‘Pediatric palliative care across continents: Communication and shared-decision-making,’ Current Problems in Pediatric & Adolescent Health Care. Posted online 27 December 2023. Full text
8.7 ‘Enhancing the adult and paediatric palliative care system: Spanish professionals’ and family caregivers’ suggestions for comprehensive improvement,’ Healthcare. Posted online 27 December 2023. Full text
8.8 ‘Shared decision-making in pediatric palliative care,’ Current Problems in Pediatric & Adolescent Health Care. Posted online 26 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
8.9 ‘Assessing the suitability of the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT-Paediatric) for use with parents of children with a life-limiting condition: A qualitative secondary analysis,’ Palliative Medicine. Posted online 23 December 2023. Full text
8.10 ‘Truth-telling to the seriously ill child: Nurses’ experiences, attitudes, and beliefs,’ Nursing Ethics. Posted online 21 December 2023. Full text
8.11 ‘Evaluating quality of life in pediatric palliative care: A cross-sectional analysis of children’s and parents’ perspectives,’ European Journal of Pediatrics. Posted online 19 December 2023. Full text
8.12 ‘Quality of care in pediatric palliative care: A scoping review,’ Children. Posted online 13 December 2023. Full text
8.13 ‘International perspectives on pediatric palliative care: Argentina,’ Current Problems in Pediatric & Adolescent Health Care. Posted online 12 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
8.14 ‘The funding of specialised paediatric palliative care in Switzerland: A conceptualisation and modified Delphi study on obstacles and priorities,’ Swiss Medical Weekly, 2023;153(12). Full text (click on pdf icon)
Website Postings of Intertest: ‘Paediatric palliative care,’ 1 eHospice, 1 January 2024; ‘The impact of palliative care in paediatrics,’ eHospice, 13 December 2023; ‘Postcode lottery in NHS funding for children who need hospice care,’ 2 Together For Short Lives, 13 December 2023
Spiritual Care
Neuropalliative Care
Public Awareness & Understanding
Related:
11.2 ‘Palliative care: “It is OK to be not OK,”‘ Journal of Palembang Nursing Studies. Posted on 25 December 2023. Full text
11.3 ‘Palliative care is not (necessarily) the end,’ Pharmacy Times. Posted online 15 December 2023. Full text
11.4 ‘Improving knowledge of palliative care in rural South Dakota through community education,’ Online Journal of Rural Nursing & Health Care. Posted online 11 December 2023. Full text (click on pdf icon)
11.5 ‘Caregiver knowledge about palliative care in King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study,’ Cureus. Posted online 10 December 2023. Full text
Website Posting of Interest: ‘Raising our voices for better palliative care,’ University of Melbourne (Australia). Posted online 18 December 2023
News Media Report of Interest: ‘What is hospice care? 6 myths about this end-of-life option,’ National Public Radio (U.K.). Posted online 28 December 2023. Full text
Economics of Palliative & End-of-Life Care
Related:
12.2 ‘Estimating the costs of end-of-life care in patients with advanced cancer from the perspective of an insurance organization: A cross-sectional study in Iran,’ Value in Health Regional Issues. Accessed online 27 December 2023. Abstract (w. intro., section snippets, references)
12.3 ‘Methodological challenges and potential solutions for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care: A systematic review,’ Palliative Medicine. Posted online 23 December 2023. Full text
News Media Report of Interest: ‘“A no-brainer”: Inside the movement to promote hospice care as a cost-effective, compassionate alternative to overcrowded hospitals,’ The Hub (Canada). Posted online 18 December 2023. Full text
Oncology
Related:
13.2 ‘How early should be “early integrated palliative care”?’ Supportive Care in Cancer. Posted online 19 December 2023. Full text
13.3 ‘Barriers and facilitators to national guideline implementation for palliative cancer care in a Danish cross-sectoral healthcare setting: A qualitative study of healthcare professionals’ experiences,’ Psycho-Oncology. Posted online 11 December 2023. Full text
Death Pronouncement
Related:
14.2 ‘How clinicians recognise people who are dying: An integrative review,’ International Journal of Nursing Studies. Posted online 21 December 2023. Full text
Cultural & Linguistic Diversity
Related
15.2 ‘The intersection of minority identity and palliative care nursing,’ Minority Nurse. Posted online 4 December 2023. Full text
15.3 ‘Navigating cultural diversity and conversation barriers in palliative care: A mini review,’ Hospice & Palliative Medicine International Journal, 2023;6(3):74-79. Full text
Psychological & Psychotherapeutic Interventions
Aged, Long-Term & Residential Care
Dignity at the End of Life
Australia
Canada
N.B. Commentary on ‘Non-physical suffering: An under-resourced and key role for hospice and palliative care social workers,’ Journal of social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care. Posted online 10 November 2023. Abstract (w. link to references)
Related:
2.2 ‘The Framework on Palliative Care in Canada: Five years later – report on the state of palliative care in Canada,’ Government of Canada. Accessed 15 December 2023.
Ireland
Singapore
Taiwan
U.K.
N.B. Commentary on ‘70 years of end-of-life care in the community,’ Marie Curie & The Queen’s Nursing Institute. Download
Related:
6.2 ‘Hospices in Scotland face collective deficit of £16 million,’ Hospice UK., 18 December 2023.
6.3 ‘Surely considering digital belongings is just as important as physical belongings… Maybe even more so!’ European Association for Palliative Care, 12 December 2023.
N.B. Author’s commentary on ‘A grounded theory study exploring palliative care healthcare professionals’ experiences of managing digital legacy as part of advance care planning for people receiving palliative care,’ Palliative Medicine. Posted online 23 August 2023. Full text
U.S.A.
Related:
7.2 ‘2023 NHPCO Facts & Figures Report now available,’ National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, 13 December 2023.
News Media Report of Interest: ‘Local experts say number of people using hospices has decreased despite benefits,’ WFXR TV News (Roanoke, Virginia). Posted online 8 January 2024. Full text