Implementation of a digital distress detection system in palliative care: qualitative data on perspectives of a multiprofessional palliative care team.

Background: Digital health technologies such as sensor systems are intended to support healthcare staff in providing adequate patient care. In the Department of Palliative Medicine (University Medical Center Freiburg), we developed and implemented a noninvasive, bed-based sensor system in a pilot study. The aim was to detect distress in patients who were no longer able to express themselves by monitoring heart and respiratory rates, vocalizations, and movement measurements.

Severe symptoms and very low quality-of-life among outpatients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer: data from a multicenter cohort study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify symptoms of severe intensity or very low scores for quality of life (QoL) domains in newly diagnosed outpatients with advanced cancer.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study from a state-wide palliative care network included adult outpatients with advanced cancer diagnosed within the preceding 8 weeks from four comprehensive cancer centers (DRKS00006162, registered on 19 May 2014). We used the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30.

Anxiety as a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Background: The aetiology of dementia is not yet fully understood. Stress can have a damaging effect on brain health. The prognostic effect of anxiety is still unclear regarding Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular dementia.