Thailand's experience in Advance Care Planning.

In 2007, Thailand enacted the National Health Act, which contains the Advance Directive (Section 12). Even though the Act was enacted nearly sixteen years ago, physicians have not fully adopted it, limiting the number of patients who can benefit from the Advance Directive. Thai culture values the role of extended family in end-of-life planning, which is frequently marked by a conspiracy of silence (inability to discuss end-of-life issues), so patients may have limited opportunities to participate in decision-making and care planning.

Integration of Specialist Palliative Care into Tertiary Hospitals: A Multicenter Point Prevalence Survey from Thailand.

Accessibility and quality of hospital-based palliative care in Thailand have received scant attention. To determine the prevalence of inpatients who require in-hospital palliative care, to identify the proportion with access to specialist palliative care, and to define the factors associated with accessibility to specialist palliative care. A cross-sectional analysis of a multicenter survey.

Perception of a "good death" in Thai patients with cancer and their relatives.

Background: Understanding the perceptions regarding what constitutes a "good death" among cancer patients and their families could help healthcare teams to ensure proper palliative and supportive care.

Objectives: To demonstrate and compare the wishes cancer patients and the perceptions of their relatives regarding end-of-life care, and to identify factors associated with patients' preferences regarding place of death.

Methods: A sample of cancer patients and their relatives who attended the Srinagarind Hospital (Thailand) oncology clinic or day chemotherapy from September 2017 to August 2018 were enrolled.

A comparison of preferences of elderly patients for end-of-life period and their relatives' perceptions in Thailand.

Background: Goal of palliative care is to experience a good death. Understanding the perceptions of elderly patients and their relatives about this issue should provide healthcare professionals with practical guidance in order to achieve this goal.

Objectives: To determine and compare the perceptions of elderly patients and relatives regarding wishes during their end-of-life(EOL) period.

Thai medical students' attitudes regarding what constitutes a "good death": a multi-center study.

Background: Few studies exist regarding the perception of medical students toward older adults' wishes during their end-of-life period. Better understanding of students' perceptions regarding this topic could help improve palliative education. The purposes of this study were to examine the perceptions of medical students regarding what constitutes a "good death" and to demonstrate the factors associated with the necessary care decisions in older patients.

Comparison of Thai older patients' wishes and nurses' perceptions regarding end-of-life care.

Background: Achieving a "good death" is a major goal of palliative care. Nurses play a key role in the end-of-life care of older patients. Understanding the perceptions of both older patients and nurses in this area could help improve care during this period.

Validation of the Thai version of the family reported outcome measure (FROM-16)© to assess the impact of disease on the partner or family members of patients with cancer.

Background: Cancer not only impairs a patient's physical and psychosocial functional behaviour, but also contributes to negative impact on family members' health related quality of life. Currently, there is an absence of a relevant tool in Thai with which to measure such impact. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) in Thai cancer patients' family members.

Children in difficulties.

Background: Children in difficulties are characterized by: chronic neglect; disability; physical, emotional or sexual abuse; HIV or one/both parents with HIV and/or limited socio-economic opportunities.

Objective: To review the current situation by reviewing the incidence of problems affecting children and exploring both potential short-/long-term strategies, including the role of pediatricians.

Material And Method: The authors reviewed the incidence and situations of children in difficulties, did a synthesis of guidelines and made recommendations.

Children's pain assessment in northeastern Thailand: perspectives of health professionals.

Deficiencies in pain care within the developing world are starting to be realized. Children, in particular, are vulnerable, as preliminary studies suggest that these children receive less pain treatment because of health professionals' attitudes and beliefs. This article reports on some of the findings of the first study in a larger program of research aimed at improving pediatric pain care in Thailand.

Psychiatric disorders in tsunami-affected children in Ranong province, Thailand.

Objective: To study the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children affected by the Asian tsunami in Ranong province, Southern Thailand 10 months after the disaster.

Subjects And Methods: The subjects were 47 boys and 47 girls, age 1-18 years, who were affected by the tsunami. They were participants in the Psychosocial Care and Protection System for Tsunami-Affected Children in Ranong Province project.

Panel 2.10: reproductive, mental, and child health.

This is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Panel 2.10, Reproductive, Mental, and Child Health of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04-06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to reproductive, mental, and child health as pertain to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami.

Training of health care professionals on the special needs of children in the management of disasters: experience in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Background: Although children are the most vulnerable group in any disaster, limited information exists regarding their unique needs in complex humanitarian emergencies.

Objective: To review the experiences gained in designing and implementing a training course for international health care professionals in disaster management focused on the needs of children.

Methods: The format, content, learning objectives, teaching methods, course evaluation, and feedback of a training course on managing complex humanitarian emergencies with a focus on the special needs of children were reviewed.