Palliative Care News and Research

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Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.

Study investigates effect of SwabCap in catheter maintenance bundle

A disinfection cap used in IV therapy was the subject of an award-winning, multi-site study at a four-hospital, Chicago-area hospital system.

11 Jul 2012

Racial differences in hospice use revealed

Study results show that while hospice use by Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure increased in the USA over the period 2000 through 2008, non-White patients were less likely to enroll than their White counterparts.

10 Jul 2012

Study examines prevalence of pain among HIV patients in two Ugandan outpatient sites

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 69 percent of HIV cases worldwide and 72 percent of AIDS deaths. A study published in The Journal of Pain showed that pain is highly prevalent among well functioning HIV patients in Africa, has a debilitating impact of quality of life, and there is a significant level of unmet need for pain relief.

3 Jul 2012

Methylphenidate ‘could relieve cancer depression’

The drug methylphenidate is well tolerated among advanced cancer patients and shows promise in alleviating depression in this group, report researchers from Spain.

28 Jun 2012

UCLA Heart Transplant Program performs 2,000th heart transplant surgery

The UCLA Heart Transplant Program performed its 2,000th heart transplant surgery earlier this month, becoming the first program in the western United States and only the second in the world to achieve this remarkable milestone.

28 Jun 2012

Enrollment and disenrollment in hospice linked to race

Although use of hospice services is increasing dramatically, a study led by Regenstrief Institute investigator Kathleen T. Unroe, M.D., MHA, an assistant research professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, has found that nonwhite Medicare patients with heart failure are 20 percent less likely to enroll in hospice than their white counterparts.

25 Jun 2012

Cedars-Sinai educational conference to focus on patient empowerment

Brain tumor patients, families and caregivers are invited to an educational conference that will focus on patient empowerment June 23 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

23 Jun 2012

Bowel disturbance common until the end

Patients treated by palliative care services experience bowel disturbances until the end of life, with severe problems increasing as death approaches, report Australian researchers.

21 Jun 2012

Sufficient cancer pain relief may mean frequent follow up

US study findings show that just over half of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care who have mild or moderate pain intensity at initial consultation, report an increase to moderate or severe pain intensity by first follow up.

20 Jun 2012

Nurses will play lead role in a dynamic, publicly funded health-care system

Canada's nurses will play a lead role in ensuring a dynamic, publicly funded health-care system for all Canadians, according to the National Expert Commission's (NEC) Report released to the public today at the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) biennial convention in Vancouver.

19 Jun 2012

Study calls for overhaul in health care practices for elderly prisoners

Soaring numbers of older, sicker prisoners are causing an unprecedented health care challenge for the nation's criminal justice system, according to a new UCSF report.

15 Jun 2012

Call for medical bodies to stop opposing assisted dying supported by BMJ

The BMJ today supports a call for leading UK medical bodies to stop opposing assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults.

14 Jun 2012

NTNU’s EIR software to be showcased at 7th World Research Congress of the EAPC

What happens when doctors cannot cure a disease? What is the best way to make patients comfortable and have the best quality of life possible in the time they have left? Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have developed software that can be used with an iPad or other tablet to help record patient pain levels to help doctors in developing further treatment.

6 Jun 2012

Ways to improve care and reduce the high cost for Medicare beneficiaries highlighted by Hopkins study

It’s well known that a relatively small percentage of chronically ill patients account for a disproportionate amount of health care dollars. Now, a multicenter study led by Johns Hopkins researcher Bruce Leff, M.D., might provide insights into how to cut Medicare costs while improving health care for older adults suffering from chronic health conditions.

5 Jun 2012

Several key discoveries in palliative care

What is the best way to talk to someone about prognosis and quality of life when serious illness strikes? It turns out that no one had studied that question through direct observation, until the University of Rochester Medical Center audio-recorded 71 palliative care discussions.

2 Jun 2012

Palliative care interventions may boost overall survival of cancer patients

Recent studies have shown that palliative care interventions aimed at addressing patients' emotional, spiritual and social needs have a significant impact on cancer patients' quality of life and may even improve cancer patients' overall survival. Despite this, most cancer patients being cared for in their communities do not have access to these services.

19 May 2012

AACN to honor Detroit nurse with Flame of Excellence Award

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) will present the Flame of Excellence Award to Margaret L. "Meg" Campbell, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, a nationally known expert in hospital-based palliative care and end-of-life issues.

19 May 2012

APS announces recipients of prestigious achievement awards

The American Pain Society (APS), www.ampainsoc.org, today announced the recipients of its prestigious achievement awards during the organization's annual scientific meeting. APS rewards excellence in pain management with awards for career achievement, pain scholarship, education and public service, advocacy on behalf of children, outstanding service to APS, early career achievements and journalism.

18 May 2012

U of A marks National Nursing Week with launch of online palliative care toolkit

An interactive toolkit created by a team from the University of Alberta helps palliative care patients and their care providers to deal with the physical, emotional and relationship changes that come with terminal and chronic illnesses.

9 May 2012

Low weight gain reported among women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy

In one of the largest studies of its kind, clinicians and researchers with Carolinas HealthCare System found that nearly 25% of women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) reported weight gain below recommended levels for their pre-pregnancy body mass index (PPBMI).

7 May 2012