Literature Review

Patient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial JAMA Intern. Med, by Stacy M. Fischer, MD; Sung-Joon Min, PhD; Danielle M. Kline, MS; et al; 2/212/24Importance: Disparities persist across the trajectory of serious illness, including at the end of life. Patient navigation has been shown to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a lay patient navigator intervention, Apoyo con Cariño, in improving palliative care outcomes among Hispanic patients.

Delivering effective messages in the patient-clinician encounter JAMA, by Joseph N. Cappella, PhD and Richard L. Street Jr, PhD; 2/1/24Effective communication between patient and clinician is a core function of the medical encounter.In a survey of cancer survivors, communication breakdowns most often identified by respondents were failures of information exchange, both in information provided by the clinician (eg, too complex, not enough) and in missing information from the patient or failing to elicit it. ... [A] table provides specific examples of what clinicians can (and should not) do to accomplish [effective communication] goals.

AAHPM Annual Presidential CitationsAAHPM email (no link); 2/7/24American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) announced their three Presidential Citations of 2024 to be presented at Annual Assembly taking place from March 23-25 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Rising workplace violence against nurses: A pressing issue in the healthcare sector Medriva, by Zara Nwosu; 2/5/24According to a report published by National Nurses United, there has been a disturbing increase in violence against nurses in their workplace, with a staggering 81.6% of nurses reporting experiences of violence. ... It negatively impacts recruitment and retention, with 60% of nurses stating that the experience of violence has influenced their decision to change jobs, leave jobs, or even consider leaving the profession.

How does care coordination promote senior health & longevity?MediaFeed.org, by Kara Lewis; 2/2/24... Care coordination offers several fundamental benefits to seniors, according to an American Nurses Association report:

Palliative care use trends, racial/ethnic disparities, and overall survival differences among patients with metastatic breast cancerJ Palliat Med, by Jincong Q Freeman, Olasubomi J Omoleye, Fangyuan Zhao, Dezheng Huo; 2/1/24Conclusions: Palliative care utilization among MBC [Metastatic Breast Cancer] patients significantly increased but remained suboptimal. Racial/ethnic minority patients were less likely to use palliative care, and Black patients had worse survival, than White patients, suggesting the need for improving palliative care access and ameliorating disparities in MBC patients.

A pathophysiological approach for selecting medications to treat nociceptive and neuropathic pain in servicemembersMil Med, by Khan Thi Nguyen, Daniel W Beauchamp, Reginald B O'Hara; 1/31/24The prevalence of chronic pain of service members (SMs) in the U.S. is estimated to be higher (roughly 31-44%) compared to that of civilian population (26%). This higher prevalence is likely due to the high physical demands related combat and training injuries that are not immediately resolved and worsen over time. Mental Health America reports that chronic pain can lead to other mental health conditions such as severe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Odds for dementia nearly triple in the year after a strokeHealth Day, by Ernie Mundell; 2/1/24A person's odds for a dementia diagnosis nearly triple in the first year after a stroke, new research shows. This post-stroke spike in dementia risk does subside with time, but it never returns to pre-stroke levels, the same report found. "Our findings reinforce the importance of monitoring people with stroke for cognitive decline," said lead researcher Dr. Raed Joundi. 

What the mental health crisis may be missing: Spirituality as a tool Forbes, by Nicole F. Roberts; 1/31/24 It is estimated that approximately one in four people globally will experience mental illness during their lives, with about one billion individuals facing mental health disorders at any given time ... [such as] anxiety, depression, loneliness or some other diagnosable illness. ... Despite most people believing in both science and a form of spirituality there are fundamental differences in how and why people seek the care they do, and how and why they adhere to recommended treatment plans as they do. And much of those decisions is based on beliefs.

Hospices struggle to balance costs, patient needs in medication deprescribingHospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/30/24When deprescribing medications for hospice patients, providers have to navigate a complex web of factors. But according to some clinicians, the prospect of cost savings often takes precedence over clinical outcomes. Medication costs are among hospices’ biggest expenses, and deprescribing some medications deemed “curative” or “unrelated” to the patient’s terminal diagnosis is a standard practice. However, even in the context of providing comfort care at the end of life, many patients do not receive medications that could benefit them, including those for pain management.

Docs see smaller checks as Congress weighs options on Medicare cutModern Healthcare, by Michael Mcauliff; 1/30/24If anyone were to ask members of Congress if doctors should be contending with Medicare pay cuts after a pandemic and a period of extraordinary inflation, and amid a chronic physician shortage, nearly all would say no.Subscription required for full access

Effectiveness of an Advance Care Planning intervention in adults receiving dialysis and their families: A cluster randomized clinical trialJAMA Network, by Mi-Kyung Song, PhD, RN; Amita Manatunga, PhD; Laura Plantinga, PhD; 1/29/24In this randomized clinical trial, the [Advanced Care Planning] ACP intervention implemented by health care workers at dialysis centers improved preparation for EOL decision-making but showed mixed effectiveness on bereavement outcomes. The ACP intervention implemented in dialysis centers may be an effective strategy to the dyad preparation for end-of-life care as opposed to the current focus on advance directives.

Anorexia Nervosa: Evaluating disparities in places of death in the United States over 22 years using the CDC WONDER databaseCureus / NCBI, by Nirmal Patel, Rahul Tyagi, Deepanwita Biswas, Ayesha Birjees, Chetana Rajesh 6, Sadia Khan; posted via NCBI 1/30/24Conclusions:[This] study found that death in home and hospice was more common than in medical or hospital nursing facilities in all four analyzed groups. These findings highlight the critical need for significant advancements in end-of-life care, particularly in home and hospice settings.