Measuring palliative care integration in Malawi through service provision, access, and training indicators: the Waterloo Coalition Initiative.

Background: Fewer than 1 in 20 people on the African continent in need of palliative care receive it. Malawi is a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa that has yet to achieve advanced palliative care integration accompanied by unrestricted access to pain and symptom relieving palliative medicines. This paper studied the impact of Malawi's Waterloo Coalition Initiative (WCI) - a local project promoting palliative care integration through service development, staff training, and increased service access.

The Meaning of Healing to Adult Patients with Advanced Cancer.

Background: This study aimed to explore the meaning of healing from the perspective of adult patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a primary study which used a cognitive interview approach to assess the face and content validity of a spiritual and psychological healing measure (NIH-HEALS). This analysis focused on responses to the question, "What does the term 'healing' mean to you?" Data were de-identified, transcribed verbatim, and imported in NVivo for thematic analysis in line with interpretive phenomenological methods.

Depressive Symptoms and Palliative Care Concerns Among Patients With Non-communicable Diseases in Two Southern African Countries.

Context: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), associated with health-related suffering, can benefit from palliative care in resource-limited settings, where over four-fifths of these deaths occur.

Objective: To measure the prevalence of depressive symptoms, palliative care-related concerns, physical and other psychological symptoms among adult patients with NCDs in Malawi and Namibia.

Methods: This multi-center, cross-sectional study consecutively recruited outpatients from four tertiary referral hospitals.

Cross Cultural Adaptation and Cognitive Testing of a Psycho-Social-Spiritual Healing Measure, the NIH Healing Experiences in All Life Stressors-NIH-HEALS.

Background: Cancer is associated with trauma and stress which impacts the physical, psychological, and spiritual/existential well-being of patients. Psychological/behavioral healing may help alleviate this distress and the associated health-related suffering. Psycho-Social-Spiritual healing outcome measures are thus needed to stimulate service development.

Status of Palliative Oncology Care for Children and Young People in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective Paper on Priorities for New Frontiers.

Purpose: The burden of cancer disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries. Low 5-year survival figures for children with cancer in low-income countries are due to late presentation at diagnosis, treatment abandonment, absence of sophisticated multidisciplinary care, and lack of adequate resources. The reasons for late presentation are partly due to limited awareness of cancer symptoms, high treatment costs, and facility-level barriers to timely access to treatment.

Do the Clinical Management Guidelines for Covid-19 in African Countries Reflect the African Quality Palliative Care Standards? A Review of Current Guidelines.

Context: Palliative care should be a component of COVID-19 management to relieve suffering, improve patient outcomes and save cost.

Objectives: We aimed to identify and critically appraise the palliative care recommendations within COVID-19 case management guidelines in African countries.

Methods: The study employed systematic guideline review design.

Investigation of the Practices, Legislation, Supply Chain, and Regulation of Opioids for Clinical Pain Management in Southern Africa: A Multi-sectoral, Cross-National, Mixed Methods Study.

Context: Sub-Saharan Africa faces an increasing incidence and prevalence of life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. These conditions are associated with a significant burden of pain linked to high morbidity and disability that is poorly assessed and undertreated. Barriers to effective pain management partly relate to lack of access to opioid analgesia and challenges in their administration.

Strengthening pharmaceutical systems for palliative care services in resource limited settings: piloting a mHealth application across a rural and urban setting in Uganda.

Background: Medicine availability is improving in sub-Saharan Africa for palliative care services. There is a need to develop strong and sustainable pharmaceutical systems to enhance the proper management of palliative care medicines, some of which are controlled. One approach to addressing these needs is the use of mobile technology to support data capture, storage and retrieval.