Decision-Making Preferences among Advanced Cancer Patients in a Palliative Setting in Jordan.

Understanding patients' decision-making preferences is crucial for enhancing patients' outcomes. The current study aims to identify Jordanian advanced cancer patients' preferred decision-making and to explore the associated variables of the passive decision-making preference. We used a cross-sectional survey design.

Validation of the Arabic Version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System.

Quality cancer care is a team effort. In addition, patients' symptoms change over the course of treatment. As such, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is a simple tool designed to quickly monitor symptom change.

Religion, Islam, and Compliance with COVID-19 Best Practices.

While many have implemented best practices intended to help stem the spread of COVID-19, there are also a substantial number of citizens, both domestically and abroad, who have resisted these practices. We argue that public health authorities, as well as scientific researchers and funders, should help address this resistance by putting greater effort into ascertaining how existing religious practices and beliefs align with COVID-19 guidelines. In particular, we contend that Euro-American scholars-who have often tended to implicitly favor secular and Christian worldviews-should put added focus on how Islamic commitments may (or may not) support COVID-19 best practices, including practices that extend beyond the domain of support for mental health.

Antimicrobial prescribing and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 infection: Experience of a single center in an upper middle-income country.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe antimicrobial prescribing patterns in hospitalized adult patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 infection, and to determine the relationship between antimicrobial agent used and non-survival amongst the studied COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This is an observational, retrospective study. Specialty Clinic Hospital in Jordan is selected as the study setting for this conducted study.

DNR and COVID-19: The Ethical Dilemma and Suggested Solutions.

Ethics are considered a basic aptitude in healthcare, and the capacity to handle ethical dilemmas in tough times calls for an adequate, responsible, and blame-free environment. While do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decisions are made in advance in certain medical situations, in particular in the setting of poor prognosis like in advanced oncology, the discussion of DNR in relation to acute medical conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic in this example, might impose ethical dilemmas to the patient and family, healthcare providers (HCPs) including physicians and nurses, and to the institution. The literature on DNR decisions in the more recent pandemics and outbreaks is scarce.

Ethical Considerations for Treating Cancer Patients During the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Crisis: To Treat or Not to Treat? A Literature Review and Perspective From a Cancer Center in Low-Middle Income Country.

Providing routine healthcare to patients with serious health illnesses represents a challenge to healthcare providers amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Treating cancer patients during this pandemic is even more complex due to their heightened vulnerability, as both cancer and cancer treatment weaken the immune system leading to a higher risk of both infections and severe complications. In addition to the need to protect cancer patients from unnecessary exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection during their routine care, interruption, and discontinuation of cancer treatment can result in negative consequences on patients' health, in addition to the ghost of rationing healthcare resources in high demand during a global health crisis.

Disclosure of medical errors: physicians' knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in an oncology center.

Background: Between the need for transparency in healthcare, widely promoted by patient's safety campaigns, and the fear of negative consequences and malpractice threats, physicians face challenging decisions on whether or not disclosing medical errors to patients and families is a valid option. We aim to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of physicians in our center regarding medical error disclosure.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire study.

Stem Cell Statute in Jordan: Leading the Way.

The use of stem cells in research has caused much controversy and ethical dilemma. The primary source of stem cells is human embryos, a source which has been confronted with objections based on ethical, moral, and religious positions. Jordan has passed the first of its-kind Statute in the region, aiming at regulating the use of stem cells both for therapeutic and research purposes.

Intensity of Cancer Care Near the End of Life at a Tertiary Care Cancer Center in Jordan.

Context: Chemotherapy use in the last month of life is an indicator of poor quality of end-of-life care.

Objectives: We assessed the frequency of chemotherapy use at the end of life at our comprehensive cancer center in Jordan and identified the factors associated with chemotherapy use.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review to examine the use of chemotherapy in the last 30 days and 14 days of life in consecutive adult patients with cancer seen at King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) who died between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012.