Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Research News | Journal Article.”
Online dialectical behavioral therapy for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain-A randomized clinical trial
06/07/25 at 03:45 AMOnline dialectical behavioral therapy for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain-A randomized clinical trialJAMA Network Open; Nell Norman-Nott, BPsychSc; Nancy E. Briggs, PhD; Negin Hesam-Shariati, PhD; Chelsey R. Wilks, PhD; Jessica Schroeder, PhD; Ashish D. Diwan, MD, PhD; Jina Suh, PhD; Jill M. Newby, PhD; Toby Newton-John, PhD; Yann Quidé, PhD; James H. McAuley, PhD; Sylvia M. Gustin, PhD; 5/25Chronic pain, defined as pain persisting beyond 3 months,1 affects 20% to 30% of the population. Beyond its sensory experience, chronic pain is an intrinsically emotional experience associated with heightened negative emotions, including anger, worry, and low mood, alongside a diminished capacity to regulate emotions. Dysregulated emotions contribute to comorbid psychological disorders; symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are present in 50% to 80% of people with chronic pain; and worsening pain intensity. One emotion regulation–focused intervention being adapted for chronic pain is dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). In DBT skills training, emotion regulation is improved by encouraging emotion recognition, emotion expression, and reaction evaluation. Results of small in-person trials of DBT for people with chronic pain show promise to improve emotion dysregulation, depression, anxiety, and pain intensity.
A single academic site study of five years evaluating pharmacy students’ palliative care clinical reasoning using Script Concordance Testing
06/07/25 at 03:40 AMA single academic site study of five years evaluating pharmacy students’ palliative care clinical reasoning using Script Concordance TestingAmerican Journal of Hospice ad Palliative Medicine; Florence Labrador, PharmD-c; Kyle P. Edmonds, MD, FAAHPM; Toluwalase A. Ajayi, MD, FAAP, FAAHPM; Rabia S. Atayee, PharmD, BCPS, APh, FAAHPM; 5/25This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a Pain and Palliative Care elective didactic course on enhancing clinical reasoning skills among Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students using the Script Concordance Test (SCT). The elective course was offered six times, covering various palliative care topics such as opioid management, procedural pain, and end-of-life care. The study found a statistically significant improvement in SCT scores from pre- to post-course assessments ... This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a targeted palliative care elective in improving clinical reasoning skills among pharmacy students.
Naming the pain: Grief-ism, grief-ist, and the linguistics of loss
06/07/25 at 03:35 AMNaming the pain: Grief-ism, grief-ist, and the linguistics of lossIllness, Crisis & Loss; Laurel E. Hilliker, Bob Baugher; 5/25This article introduces two new terms, Grief-ism and Grief-ist, to expose some of the behaviors, actions, inactions, and unrealistic expectations of others (from individual support persons to societal institutions) towards bereaved individuals. In this article, we provide examples of subtle prejudice, discrimination, and marginalization involving those adjusting to significant loss. As well, this work draws attention to the medicalization and policing of the process of grief by well-meaning others. We believe these actions accumulate over time, weigh down those who are grieving loss, and tend to make the grief feel unsupported. As a result, people coping with the loss of a loved one may experience feelings of isolation and, in some cases, a lengthening of the grief process.
Palliative care for patients with end-stage renal disease-An examination of unmet needs and experiencing problems
06/07/25 at 03:30 AMPalliative care for patients with end-stage renal disease-An examination of unmet needs and experiencing problemsJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; Darawad, Muhammad W. PhD, RN; Reinke, Lynn F. PhD, ANP-BC, FPCN, FAAN; Khalil, Amani PhD, RN; Melhem, Ghaith Bani PhD, RN; Alnajar, Malek MSN, CNS, RN; June 2025Patients with end-stage renal disease face numerous physical, emotional, and financial burdens, necessitating palliative care (PC) interventions. This cross-sectional study ... revealed that 64.7% of participants experienced significant challenges, primarily financial difficulties (78.5%), autonomy concerns (68.8%), and a need for information (68.0%). More than half (51.9%) reported needing PC [palliative care], particularly for managing fatigue (78.3%), pain (79.8%), and depression (72.9%). Unmet needs were common (47.6%), with the most notable gaps in financial support (52.5%) and information provision (50%). These findings underscored the urgent need for tailored PC interventions for end-stage renal disease patients, particularly in addressing symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support, financial support, and information deficits, to enhance their quality of life.
Where adults with heart failure die: Insights from the CDC-WONDER database
06/07/25 at 03:25 AMWhere adults with heart failure die: Insights from the CDC-WONDER databaseCirculation: Heart Failure; Farman Ali, Shaaf Ahmad, Aman Ullah, Ali Salman, Adarsh Raja, Faizan Ahmed, Prinka Perswani, Ahsan Alam, Jishanth Mattumpuram, Muhammad Talha Maniya, Hamza Janjua, Tyler J Bonkowski, Aravinda Nanjundappa; 5/25This study underscores the shifting trends in the locations of death among patients with HF [heart failure], with a ≈2-fold increase in HF-related deaths occurring at home over the past 2 decades. Hospice/nursing home deaths increased from 30.95% ... in 1999 to 34.71% ... in 2017, but declined to 29.54% ... by 2023. Young adults (20-34 years) had the highest proportion of inpatient deaths. Sex, ethnicity, and urbanization were significant predictors of death location, with men, White individuals, and those in large metropolitan areas more likely to die in medical facilities.
An end-of-life nursing education consortium (ELNEC) regional approach to integrating primary palliative care in nursing education
06/07/25 at 03:15 AMAn end-of-life nursing education consortium (ELNEC) regional approach to integrating primary palliative care in nursing educationJournal of Professional Nursing; Toni L Glover, Olga Ehrlich, Andra Davis, Megan Lippe, Carrie L Cormack, Theresa Jizba, Amanda J Kirkpatrick, Susan Meskis; May-June 2025With the concurrent movement toward competency-based nursing education and the incorporation of Hospice, Palliative, and Supportive Care as one of the four spheres of care in the latest AACN [American Association of Colleges of Nursing] Essentials, nurse educators face a myriad of challenges in incorporating palliative care content into undergraduate and graduate curricula. The challenges include: a lack of faculty expertise in palliative care education; a lack of administrative or faculty support to include primary palliative care content in nursing curricula; a lack of evidence-based teaching strategies on primary palliative care nursing education; and, a lack of funding to support the development of robust, evidence-based strategies to strengthen primary palliative care nursing education. The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative regional approach advancing primary palliative care nursing education. To ensure nursing students are practice-ready, both undergraduate and graduate programs must provide education that builds knowledge and competency in primary palliative nursing care.
Avoidant and approach-oriented coping strategies, meaning making, and mental health among adults bereaved by suicide and fatal overdose: A prospective path analysis
06/07/25 at 03:10 AMAvoidant and approach-oriented coping strategies, meaning making, and mental health among adults bereaved by suicide and fatal overdose: A prospective path analysisBehavioral Sciences; Jamison S. Bottomley, Robert A. Neimeyer; 5/25The current study shed light on the role of avoidance- and approach-oriented coping strategies in aggravating or ameliorating the longer-term distress of the survivors of such losses, roughly half of whom showed continued clinical-level elevations of prolonged grief, posttraumatic stress, and depressive symptomatology two years following the death. The results provided cautionary evidence that avoidant coping through denial, distraction, and behavioral disengagement prospectively predicted higher levels of prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress, with the impairment of meaning making about the loss accounting for much of the variance in the former outcome. In contrast, actively approaching others for support and attempting to confront and surmount the problems posed by bereavement consistently predicted a reduction in prolonged grief, posttraumatic stress, and depression symptoms in the months that followed. The latter impacts were found to be fully mediated by the enhancement of meaning making about the loss, carrying practical implications for bereavement support and grief therapy for this vulnerable population of mourners.
Live hospice discharge of individuals with cognitive disabilities: A systematic review
06/07/25 at 03:05 AMLive hospice discharge of individuals with cognitive disabilities: A systematic reviewJournal of the American Medical Directors Association; by Victoria M Winogora, Christine E DeForge, Kimberlee Grier, Patricia W Stone; 4/25This systematic review is the first to focus on live discharge from hospice for individuals with cognitive disabilities. All studies focused exclusively on individuals with dementias. Although the term cognitive disability was absent from the literature reviewed, cognitive disability was associated with live discharge. Future research should aim to include the greater cognitive disability community to assess hospice and other end-of-life outcomes to identify potential targets for future intervention.
Gaps in the coordination of care for older adults with or at risk for cardiovascular disease
06/06/25 at 03:00 AMGaps in the coordination of care for older adults with or at risk for cardiovascular disease The American Journal of Managed Care; by Lisa M. Kern, MD, MPH,Joselyne E. Aucapina,Samprit Banerjee, PhD, Joanna B. Ringel, MPH, Jonathan N. Tobin, PhD, Semhar Fisseha, MPH, Helena Meiri, MA, RN, Madeline R. Sterling, MD, MPH, Kurt C. Stange, MD, PhD, Monika M. Safford, MD, Paul N. Casale, MD, MPH; 6/3/25 ... To determine whether older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or CVD risk factors perceive gaps in communication among their providers and whether they consider those gaps to be consequential, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older with CVD or CVD risk factors and highly fragmented ambulatory care (reversed Bice-Boxerman Index score ≥ 0.85).
Telehealth use by home health agencies before, during, and after COVID-19
06/02/25 at 03:00 AMTelehealth use by home health agencies before, during, and after COVID-19 National Institutes of Health, published by Wiley Online Library; by Dana B. Mukamel, Debra Saliba, Heather Ladd, Melissa A. Clark, Michelle L. Rogers, Cheryl Meyer Nelson, Marisa L. Roczen, Dara H. Sorkin, Jacqueline S. Zinn, Peter Huckfeldt; 5/22/25
Provision of end-of-life care in austere environments
05/31/25 at 03:40 AMProvision of end-of-life care in austere environmentsWilderness & Environmental Medicine; by Jason W. David, Hui Z. Feng, Danny Lammers, Russell Day; 6/25End-of-life care presents unique challenges in austere or resource-limited environments where traditional medical resources are scarce or absent. This review explores the complexities of providing end-of-life care under such constraints, including recognition of the dying patient and techniques to alleviate suffering and allow death with dignity in under-resourced or expeditionary environments. Moreover, it presents these techniques in an accessible manner for providers without formal hospice training to use. Based on a literature review of hospice and palliative medicine, insights from the body of literature in wilderness and austere medicine, and the authors’ experiences in practicing in austere environments, this paper discusses practical approaches to symptom management, ethical considerations in end-of-life decision making, and accessible interventions with limited resources.Publisher's note: An interesting article for all healthcare professionals to consider...
A critical examination of ‘family’ caregiving at the end of life in contexts of homelessness: Key concepts and future considerations
05/31/25 at 03:35 AMA critical examination of ‘family’ caregiving at the end of life in contexts of homelessness: Key concepts and future considerationsPalliative Care and Social Practice; Ashley Mollison, Kelli I. Stajduhar, Marilou Gagnon, Ryan McNeil; 5/25In a world that is becoming more inequitable, understanding and reducing health disparities is a key priority for palliative care. This essay has demonstrated that bio-legal assumptions and privileging may be yet one more inequity in palliative care to address and overcome. This essay has focused in on populations facing homelessness and housing vulnerability, but changing families and growing inequality suggests the potential broad applicability of this work for our collective future. Palliative care is one of the areas of the Western healthcare system that explicitly attends to the person with serious illness and their family and caregivers understanding deeply how the suffering and joys of one group impacts the other. If there is a place in the current health system that can truly make space for caregiving – in all the ways it happens – it is, and should be, palliative care.
Granting permission: Toward embracing grief
05/31/25 at 03:30 AMGranting permission: Toward embracing griefJournal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care; by Rennie Bimman; 3/25Grief, unavoidable and often excruciating, is rarely sufficiently acknowledged or supported in Western society. It is not granted permission to exist without barriers. By considering and evaluating grief experiences through the lens of their access to permission, clinicians can collectively imagine and promote inclusivity in grief. Permission is presented as a conceptual framework and clinical tool, with broader micro- and macro-level applications for both professional and layperson engagement, offering a foundation for further implementation and research.
Does family functioning matter? Understanding the relationship between family interactions and depressive symptoms for caregivers of cancer patients
05/31/25 at 03:25 AMDoes family functioning matter? Understanding the relationship between family interactions and depressive symptoms for caregivers of cancer patientsAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care; by Keisha White Makinde, Kyle A Pitzer, Jacquelyn J Benson, Maysara Mitchell, Debra Parker Oliver, George Demiris, Karla T Washington; 6/25Caregivers of cancer patients are at increased risk of depression and other health challenges. There is limited understanding of the role of the caregiver's own family members in promoting or discouraging mental wellbeing. Family caregivers with more positive family interactions are likely to have fewer depressive symptoms, suggesting family functioning may play a key role in bolstering family caregiver mental health and wellbeing.
Timing and outcomes of palliative care integration into care of adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer
05/31/25 at 03:20 AMTiming and outcomes of palliative care integration into care of adolescents and young adults with advanced cancerOncology Practice; Jeremiah Bonnet, BA; Colin Cernik, MS; Hajime Uno, PhD; Lanfang Xu, MS; Cecile A. Laurent, MS; Lauren Fisher, MS; Nancy Cannizzaro, BA; Julie Munneke, BA; Robert M. Cooper, MD; Joshua R. Lakin, MD; Corey M. Schwartz, MD; Mallory Casperson, BA; Andrea Altschuler, PhD; Lawrence H. Kushi, ScD; Chun R. Chao, PhD; Lori Wiener, PhD; Jennifer W. Mack, MD, MPH; 5/25Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer frequently receive intensive measures at the end of life; many also express care goals that align with a palliative approach. [In this study] nearly three quarters (73%) [of AYA patients] were referred to palliative care before death. Thirty-six percent of palliative care referrals took place before the last 90 days of life; 30% were in the last month of life. Palliative care referrals and their timing were associated with care received at the end of life, with earlier referrals associated with fewer intensive measures near death, including chemotherapy in the last 14 days of life ... as well as intensive care unit admissions, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations in the last month of life ... Patients who were referred to palliative care were more likely to have symptoms assessed in the last 90 days of life, including pain, dyspnea, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, depression, and anxiety ...
An intervention to increase advance care planning among older adults with advanced cancer-A randomized clinical trial
05/31/25 at 03:15 AMAn intervention to increase advance care planning among older adults with advanced cancer-A randomized clinical trialJAMA Network Open; Angelo E. Volandes, MD, MPH; Yuchiao Chang, PhD; Joshua R. Lakin, MD; Michael K. Paasche-Orlow, MD; Charlotta Lindvall, MD, PhD; Seth N. Zupanc, BA; Diana Martins-Welch, MD; Maria T. Carney, MD; Edith A. Burns, MD; Jennifer Itty, MPH; Kaitlin Emmert-Tangredi, MSW; Narda J. Martin, MSN-ED, RN; Shreya Sanghani, MS; Jon Tilburt, MD; Kathryn I. Pollak, PhD; Aretha Delight Davis, MD, JD; Cynthia Garde, MBA; Michael J. Barry, MD; Areej El-Jawahri, MD; Lisa Quintiliani, PhD; Kate Sciacca, NP; Julie Goldman, MPH; James A. Tulsky, MD; 5/25Despite accumulating evidence of the benefits of these discussions, documentation of advance care planning (ACP) activity in the electronic health record (EHR) remains low and inconsistent for most health care systems, increasing the risk that patients will not receive care that matches their goals. In this pragmatic stepped-wedge randomized clinical trial among older patients with advanced cancer, an intervention combining patient video decision aids and clinician communication skills training increased the proportion of patients with ACP documentation. This randomized clinical trial exploring a combined intervention of patient empowerment and clinician communication skills training found a significant and clinically meaningful increase in ACP documentation rates with a scalable intervention that can be rapidly implemented across large health care systems. This approach offers an innovative paradigm with a clinically meaningful increase in ACP documentation, a widely used quality metric that reflects high-quality patient-centered care delivery.
Palliative care program characteristics and end-of-life outcomes for patients with metastatic cancer
05/31/25 at 03:10 AMPalliative care program characteristics and end-of-life outcomes for patients with metastatic cancerJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by May Hua, Ling Guo, Shuang Wang, R Sean Morrison; 6/25Although U.S. palliative care programs have substantial differences in their implementation, whether this heterogeneity impacts patient outcomes is unknown. Palliative care program characteristics largely were not associated with differences in end-of-life quality metrics for patients with metastatic cancer.
The dementia care workforce: Essential to care but large research gaps exist
05/31/25 at 03:05 AMThe dementia care workforce: Essential to care but large research gaps existAlzheimer's and Dementia; Jasmine L Travers Altizer, Jennifer M Reckrey, Bianca K Frogner, David C Grabowski, Joanne Spetz; 5/25People living with dementia and their care partners benefit from services and supports from a wide variety of healthcare and social service professionals. This article provides an overview of the dementia care workforce and highlights gaps and opportunities for data collection and research to advance the workforce and its contributions to high-quality care. There are notable gaps in our ability to track career pathways, assess the impact of training, identify best practices for recruitment and retention, and understand attributes of the workforce that may affect the quality of both workers' lives and the care they provide to people living with dementia. The dementia care workforce works in multiple settings and includes many occupations. Evaluation research is needed to improve direct care worker recruitment, retention, and knowledge.
[Sweden / Australia / UK] Harms of morphine for chronic breathlessness in relation to dose, duration and titration phase
05/31/25 at 03:00 AM[Sweden / Australia / UK] Harms of morphine for chronic breathlessness in relation to dose, duration and titration phaseJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Magnus Ekström, Fatima Alameri, Sungwon Chang, Diana Ferreira, Miriam J Johnson, David C Currow; 6/25In people with COPD and severe chronic breathlessness, the risk of adverse events was highest during the first week of treatment in a dose-related fashion but did not differ by titration phase or by dose of once-daily SR morphine between 8 and 32 mg/day.
Referral criteria for specialist palliative care for patients with dementia
05/31/25 at 03:00 AMReferral criteria for specialist palliative care for patients with dementiaJAMA Network Open; Yuchieh Kathryn Chang, DO; Jennifer Philip, PhD, MMed, MBBS; Jenny T. van der Steen, PhD; Lieve Van den Block, PhD, MSc; Allyn Yin Mei Hum, MD; Pedro E. Pérez-Cruz, MD, MPH; Carlos Paiva, MD, PhD; Masanori Mori, MD; Ping-Jen Chen, MD; Meera R. Agar, PhD, MPC, MBBS; Laura Hanson, MD, MPH; Catherine J. Evans, PhD, MSc, BSc; David Hui, MD, MSc; 5/25Dementia is an ever-growing public health issue with currently more than 55 million people worldwide living with this disease. Due to an aging global population, this number is projected to triple by 2050. As the number of people with dementia continues to grow worldwide, there is a need and an opportunity to collaborate and provide seamless integration of specialist palliative care with the primary palliative care already delivered to enhance the care of patients with dementia. To help advance this goal, the 15 major criteria identified here represent a first step toward clarification of primary and specialist palliative care roles and consideration for systematic screening of symptom and supportive care needs.
[UK] An exploration of perceived impact of receiving complementary therapies on service users during the palliative and end-of-life care phase
05/24/25 at 03:55 AM[UK] An exploration of perceived impact of receiving complementary therapies on service users during the palliative and end-of-life care phaseInternational Journal of Palliative Nursing; Jason Vickers, Brian Nyatanga, Hayley Holden; 4/25Background: To explore and understand the narratives of service users in the hospice setting regarding the value they place on complementary therapies and their perceived impact on overall wellbeing. The benefits derived from complementary therapy sessions include managing anxiety and stress, developing better sleep strategies and devising coping techniques for personal situations and contexts through guided discussions and personal reflection.
A practice model for palliative radiotherapy
05/24/25 at 03:45 AMA practice model for palliative radiotherapyCureus; Alina Zheng, Alec Zheng, Alan Zheng, Xiaodong Wu, Beatriz Amendola; 5/25Despite well-recognized challenges in implementing palliative radiation therapy (PRT), progress remains slow, and conventional approaches have yielded limited success. A specialized certification track within radiation oncology residency programs is proposed, enabling palliative care physicians to obtain limited PRT licenses under the supervision of fully licensed radiation oncologists. Dedicated PRT facilities-affiliated with comprehensive radiation therapy centers (CRTCs) and integrated into hospice settings-will enhance accessibility by reducing logistical and financial burdens. These facilities will utilize cost-effective infrastructure, including refurbished linear accelerators, modular construction, and remote physics and dosimetry support, ensuring operational costs remain significantly lower than those of conventional radiotherapy centers. Systematic studies with a PRT-oriented mindset should establish PRT-specific treatment recommendations and recommendations, moving away from conventional radiation therapy protocols. While requiring initial investment and regulatory adjustments, it has the potential to improve end-of-life care for terminally ill cancer patients, ensuring greater dignity and comfort while establishing a robust foundation for future reimbursement models.
Care transformation in palliative care: Leveraging a payor-provider partnership to fast-track growth of a palliative program
05/24/25 at 03:40 AMCare transformation in palliative care: Leveraging a payor-provider partnership to fast-track growth of a palliative programJournal of Palliative Medicine; Emily Jaffe, Emily Hobart, Alexandra Aiello, Amber Shergill, Amanda Harpster-Hagen, Tyson S. Barrett; 5/25This study describes a unique partnership between an insurer and a provider to enhance the quality, availability, and access to palliative services. A retrospective cohort analysis of insurance claims data for patients receiving palliative care compared to a matched cohort not receiving palliative care services from 2019 through 2022. Outcomes demonstrated a total savings of $4,526,408 through reductions in costs for the treatment group compared to the control group for total cost of care ...., inpatient stays ($5,672 ... ) , outpatient visits ($229 ... ), professional claims ($1,243 ... ), and pharmacy fills ($17 ... ). The treatment group had lower skilled nursing facility ($1,049 ... ) and inpatient rehabilitation facility ($216 ... ) costs. The treatment group had higher rates of hospice care (83.7% in the treatment compared to 50.2% ... ) but had lower lengths of stay (four days compared to five ... ).Conclusions: Collaborative investment in a palliative program by a payor and provider system shows significant financial savings for an insurer when patients receive evidence-based palliative care near the end of life.
Impact of an inpatient telepalliative care consult service in rural hospitals: One state story
05/24/25 at 03:30 AMImpact of an inpatient telepalliative care consult service in rural hospitals: One state storyJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Anup Bhushan, Scott D Hurley, Patrick J Coyne; 2/25Palliative care has become a standard of care for patients with serious illnesses. However, many rural hospitals do not have access to specialized palliative care consultation. This article describes the journey taken by a palliative care team to improve access to palliative care and overall patient outcomes at rural hospitals throughout the state of South Carolina by using the telehealth modality. The impact, challenges, and benefits of the program are discussed.
Palliative care in acute care surgery: research challenges and opportunities
05/24/25 at 03:25 AMPalliative care in acute care surgery: research challenges and opportunitiesTrauma Surgery Acute Care Open; by Amelia W Maiga, Vanessa Ho, Rachel S Morris, Lisa M Kodadek, Thaddeus J Puzio, Gail T Tominaga, Masami Tabata-Kelly, Zara Cooper; 3/25Acute care surgeons routinely care for individuals who may benefit from palliative care. Patients exposed to traumatic injury, emergency surgical conditions, major burns and/or critical surgical illness are more likely to be experiencing a serious illness than other hospitalized patients. This narrative review summarizes the current state of research challenges and opportunities to address palliative care in acute care surgery.