Pulmonologists' experiences with palliative sedation for terminally ill patients.

Bakgrunn: Legeforeningen har utarbeidd retningslinjer for lindrande sedering i livets sluttfase, sist revidert i 2014. Vi ville undersøke lungelegar sin kjennskap til retningslinjene og bruk av lindrande sedering ved lungesjukdomar.

Materiale Og Metode: Eit elektronisk spørjeskjema blei sendt til alle medlemmer av Norsk forening for lungemedisin (529 legar) i oktober 2022.

Development of an international Core Outcome Set (COS) for best care for the dying person: study protocol.

Background: In contrast to typical measures employed to assess outcomes in healthcare such as mortality or recovery rates, it is difficult to define which specific outcomes of care are the most important in caring for dying individuals. Despite a variety of tools employed to assess different dimensions of palliative care, there is no consensus on a set of core outcomes to be measured in the last days of life. In order to optimise decision making in clinical practice and comparability of interventional studies, we aim to identify and propose a set of core outcomes for the care of the dying person.

Factors affecting quality of end-of-life hospital care - a qualitative analysis of free text comments from the i-CODE survey in Norway.

Background: The ERANet-LAC CODE (Care Of the Dying Evaluation) international survey assessed quality of care for dying cancer patients in seven countries, by use of the i-CODE questionnaire completed by bereaved relatives. The aim of this sub study was to explore which factors improve or reduce quality of end-of-life (EOL) care from Norwegian relatives' point of view, as expressed in free text comments.

Methods: 194 relatives of cancer patients dying in seven Norwegian hospitals completed the i-CODE questionnaire 6-8 weeks after bereavement; recruitment period 14 months; response rate 58%.

Feasibility and acceptability of introducing advance care planning on a thoracic medicine inpatient ward: an exploratory mixed method study.

Background And Aims: Advance care planning (ACP) is communication about wishes and preferences for end-of-life care. ACP is not routinely used in any Norwegian hospitals. We performed a pilot study (2014-2017) introducing ACP on a thoracic medicine ward in Norway.

Pilot testing of the first version of the European Association for Palliative Care basic dataset: A mixed methods study.

Background: Inadequate description of palliative care cancer patients in research studies often leads to results having limited generalizability. To standardize the description of the sample, the European Association for Palliative Care basic data set was developed, with 31 core demographic and disease-related variables.

Aim: To pilot test the data set to check acceptability, comprehensibility and feasibility.

How are patient populations characterized in studies investigating depression in advanced cancer? Results from a systematic literature review.

Context: Prevalence rates of depression in patients with advanced cancer vary considerably. This may be because of heterogeneous samples and use of different assessment methods. Adequate sample descriptions and consistent use of measures are needed to be able to generalize research findings and apply them to clinical practice.

The European Association for Palliative Care basic dataset to describe a palliative care cancer population: Results from an international Delphi process.

Background: One of the barriers identified in palliative care research is the lack of common criteria to describe the population.

Aim: The aim of this Delphi process was to obtain consensus on a basic set of core variables to describe or classify a palliative care cancer population.

Design And Setting: This was a five-step international Delphi exercise.

How are palliative care cancer populations characterized in randomized controlled trials? A literature review.

Context: The difficulties in defining a palliative care patient accentuate the need to provide stringent descriptions of the patient population in palliative care research.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic literature review with the aim of identifying which key variables have been used to describe adult palliative care cancer populations in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: The data sources used were MEDLINE (1950 to January 25, 2010) and Embase (1980 to January 25, 2010), limited to RCTs in adult cancer patients with incurable disease.

A pan-European survey of research in end-of-life cancer care.

Background: To date, there is no coordinated strategy for end-of-life (EOL) cancer care research in Europe. The PRISMA (Reflecting the Positive Diversities of European Priorities for Research and Measurement in End-of-life Care) project is aiming to develop a programme integrating research and measurement in EOL care. This survey aimed to map and describe present EOL cancer care research in Europe and to identify priorities and barriers.

Clinical priorities, barriers and solutions in end-of-life cancer care research across Europe. Report from a workshop.

Aim: The PRISMA project is aiming to co-ordinate research priorities, measurement and practice in end-of-life (EOL) care in Europe. As part of PRISMA we undertook a questionnaire survey and a subsequent workshop to (1) identify clinical priorities for EOL care research in Europe and propose a future research agenda and (2) identify barriers to EOL care research, and possibilities and solutions to improve the research.

Methods: Thirty participants selected among the principally medical survey responders from 25 European countries attended.

Computer-based assessment of symptoms and mobility in palliative care: feasibility and challenges.

The aims of the study were to explore the ability of cancer patients who are primarily receiving palliative care to use a touchscreen computer for assessment of symptoms and mobility and to investigate which factors predicted the need for assistance during the assessment. Before the main data collection, a pilot study was conducted to explore the preferences of these patients toward using such a computerized assessment tool. Patients were recruited from nine different inpatient and outpatient palliative care and general cancer clinics in Norway.

Prevalence of distressing symptoms in hospitalised patients on medical wards: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Many patients with advanced, serious, non-malignant disease belong to the population generally seen on medical wards. However, little research has been carried out on palliative care needs in this group. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of distressing symptoms in patients hospitalised in a Department of Internal Medicine, estimate how many of these patients might be regarded as palliative, and describe their main symptoms.