Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kah Poh Loh, Christopher L. Seplaki, Chandrika Sanapala, Reza Yousefi-Nooraie, Jennifer L. Lund, Ronald M. Epstein, Paul R. Duberstein, Marie Flannery, Eva Culakova, Huiwen Xu, Colin McHugh, Heidi D. Klepin, Po-Ju Lin, Erin Watson, Valerie Aarne Grossman, Jane Jijun Liu, Jodi Geer, Mark A. O'Rourke, Karen Mustian, Supriya G. Mohile
Summary: This study examines the association between poor prognostic understanding and patient-oncologist prognostic discordance with hospitalization and hospice use among older adults with advanced cancers. The findings suggest that poor prognostic understanding is associated with lower hospice utilization, while prognostic discordance is associated with higher odds of hospitalization.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Semra Ozdemir, Jia Jia Lee, Grace Meijuan Yang, Chetna Malhotra, Irene Teo, Nguyen Tuong Pham, Maria Fidelis Manalo, Thushari Hapuarachchi, Lubna Mariam, Rubayat Rahman, Eric Finkelstein
Summary: This study examined the awareness and utilization of palliative care (PC) services among advanced cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia. The findings showed low levels of PC awareness, with higher education, higher income, awareness of disease severity, and higher pain severity being associated with greater PC awareness. The study also found that the utilization of PC services was relatively low, and the main barriers were receiving other forms of treatment and inadequate information about PC. Efforts should be made to promote PC awareness in LMICs, particularly among disadvantaged groups.
JOURNAL OF PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Rita Carrilho Pichel, Alexandra Araujo, Vital Da Silva Domingues, Jorge Nunes Santos, Elga Freire, Ana Sofia Mendes, Raquel Romao, Antonio Araujo
Summary: Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of death, and most patients are not candidates for curative or systemic palliative treatment. This review aims to provide recommendations for the best supportive care for esophageal cancer, focusing on the management of its most common symptoms and complications.
Article
Oncology
Jordan D. Hildenbrand, Hee S. Park, David J. Casarett, Cheyenne Corbett, Alicia M. Ellis, Kris W. Herring, Arif H. Kamal, Steve Power, Jesse D. Troy, Steven Wolf, Syed Y. Zafar, Thomas W. Leblanc
Summary: This study examined the association between moderate/severe distress and healthcare utilization in non-small cell lung cancer and non-colorectal gastrointestinal cancer patients. Patients with actionable distress reported physical symptoms (pain, fatigue) and emotional issues (worry, fears, sadness, nervousness) more frequently, and had higher odds of hospitalization or visiting the emergency department within 3 to 6 months. This suggests that distress scores can be valuable indicators for identifying patients in need of intervention such as palliative care and cancer support services.
SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Elena Bandieri, Eleonora Borelli, Fabio Gilioli, Sarah Bigi, Claudia Mucciarini, Umberto Ferrari, Sonia Eliardo, Lidia Pinto, Carlo Adolfo Porro, Fabio Efficace, Mario Luppi, Leonardo Potenza
Summary: Early palliative care is a successful model of care for advanced cancer patients and their caregivers, but it is often limited to the last weeks of life due to the stigma associated with palliative care. This study aimed to investigate the perception of palliative care among a sample of patients and caregivers before their referral to early palliative care. The results indicate the need for interventions to overcome the stigma and improve understanding of the essence of anticipated palliative care.
Article
Oncology
Bridget L. Nicholson, Linda Flynn, Beth Savage, Peijia Zha, Elissa Kozlov
Summary: Cancer is a leading cause of death in the US, and patients with metastatic cancer have a high symptom burden. Palliative care services are recommended to improve quality of life for these patients. This study aimed to identify predictors of palliative care use in patients with metastatic cancer, and found that pain and certain demographic factors influenced its use.
Article
Oncology
Michael G. Cohen, Andrew D. Althouse, Robert M. Arnold, Hailey W. Bulls, Douglas B. White, Edward Chu, Margaret Q. Rosenzweig, Kenneth J. Smith, Yael Schenker
Summary: This study found that engagement in advance care planning (ACP) did not decrease hope in patients with advanced cancer, and may even increase hope. These results may provide reassurance to clinicians who are apprehensive about having these important and difficult conversations.
Review
Oncology
Jennifer S. Temel, Laura A. Petrillo, Joseph A. Greer
Summary: The evidence base supports the benefits of early palliative care for patients with serious cancers, including advanced lung cancer. Involving specialty-trained palliative care clinicians early in the care of these patients improves patient-reported outcomes and healthcare delivery.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Rebecca Liddicoat Yamarik, Laraine Ann Chiu, Mara Flannery, Kaitlyn Van Allen, Oluwaseun M. Adeyemi, Allison A. Cuthel, Abraham S. Brody, Keith Goldfeld, Deborah R. Schrag, Corita Grudzen
Summary: We conducted a 6-month telephone nursing program for persons living with advanced cancer to help them manage symptoms, coordinate care, and plan for future care. Half of the subjects completed the program, a quarter died or enrolled in hospice, 19% were lost to follow-up, and 9% withdrew from the program. White patients and those with fewer symptoms were more likely to withdraw. 83% of all patients completed some advance care planning, and 80% of patients received hospice care prior to death.
Article
Oncology
Anna Collins, Vijaya Sundararajan, Brian Le, Linda Mileshkin, Susan Hanson, Jon Emery, Jennifer Philip
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility of integrating standardized, early palliative care across breast, prostate, and brain cancer patients. Results showed that triggers for integrating early palliative care were feasible for brain cancer, but not for breast and prostate cancers.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Michelle Edwards, Daniella Holland-Hart, Mala Mann, Kathy Seddon, Peter Buckle, Mirella Longo, Anthony Byrne, Annmarie Nelson
Summary: This review aimed to identify the contexts and mechanisms associated with communication tools, patient decision-aids, and shared decision-making approaches that influence patient outcomes for advanced incurable cancer. The findings highlighted the importance of patients' and healthcare professionals' attitudes and approaches, as well as mechanisms such as presenting information in multiple formats and providing adequate time and opportunities to prepare for and revisit decisions. These factors influenced the levels of patient decisional satisfaction, conflict, and regret.
HEALTH EXPECTATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Yanin Chavarri-Guerra, Wendy Alicia Ramos-Lopez, Jacqueline Alcalde-Castro, Alfredo Covarrubias-Gomez, Africa Navarro-Lara, Paulina Quiroz-Friedman, Sofia Sanchez-Roman, Natasha Alcocer-Castillejos, Jose Carlos Aguilar-Velazco, Alexandra Bukowski, Juan Alberto Chavarri-Maldonado, Sergio Contreras-Garduno, Lindsay Krush, Itoro Inoyo, Andrea Medina-Campos, Maria Luisa Moreno-Garcia, Viridiana Perez-Montessoro, Maria T. Bourlon, Roberto De La Pena-Lopez, Hector De La Mora-Molina, Eucario Leon-Rodriguez, Alejandro Mohar, Paul E. Goss
Summary: Early integration of patient navigation in oncology can improve access to supportive care and advance care planning for patients with advanced cancer in resource-limited settings. This randomized controlled trial in Mexico City demonstrated that patient navigation interventions led to increased implementation of supportive care interventions, advance care planning, and decreased pain symptoms compared to usual oncologist-guided care. The results suggest that patient navigation may be a valuable solution for enhancing the implementation of supportive and palliative care in similar resource-limited settings worldwide.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
S. W. Lee, E. H. Jung, H. J. Kim, C. Min, S. H. Yoo, Y. J. Kim, S. Y. Rha, D. K. Yon, B. Kang
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the comprehensive association between delirium and various risk factors among patients with advanced cancer in an acute palliative care setting. The results showed that delirium in patients with advanced cancer was associated with age, gender, chemotherapy, hearing impairment, underweight, opioid medication, and a history of delirium and mental illness. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to delirium in patients with advanced cancer admitted to the acute palliative care unit with the above risk factors.
EUROPEAN REVIEW FOR MEDICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Junichi Furuya, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Rena Hidaka, Nei Koshitani, Yuko Motomatsu, Yuji Kabasawa, Haruka Tohara, Yuji Sato, Shunsuke Minakuchi, Satoshi Miyake
Summary: This study revealed oral health problems among terminal-stage cancer patients receiving acute-phase palliative care, including issues with soft tissue, saliva, and oral cleanliness, as well as common absence of posterior occlusal support. Despite relatively well-conserved swallowing function, some patients still experienced limitations in nutrition intake.
SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Katherine Hicks-Courant, Ashley Graul, Emily Ko, Robert Giuntoli, Lainie Martin, Mark Morgan, Ashley Haggerty
Summary: A minority of patients with advanced or metastatic gynecologic cancer utilize palliative care, and lack of knowledge may be a barrier to receiving palliative care services. Most women learned about palliative care from sources other than their cancer care providers, and knowledge about palliative care and source of knowledge were not associated with palliative care utilization. Awareness and utilization of palliative care may be improved by increasing health provider-based education and engaging cancer patients' social networks.
JOURNAL OF PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fatima Mir, Faisal Mahmood, Amna Rehana Siddiqui, Shehla Baqi, Syed Hani Abidi, Abdul Momin Kazi, Apsara Ali Nathwani, Amerta Ladhani, Farah Naz Qamar, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Sikander Ali Memon, Jamila Soomro, Saqib Ali Shaikh, Victoria Simms, Palwasha Khan, Rashida Abbas Ferrand
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Grace McHugh, Andrea M. Rehman, Victoria Simms, Carmen Gonzalez-Martinez, Tsitsi Bandason, Ethel Dauya, Brewster Moyo, Hilda Mujuru, Jamie Rylance, Evgeniya Sovershaeva, Helen A. Weiss, Katharina Kranzer, Jon Odland, Rashida A. Ferrand, Elizabeth L. Corbett, Trond Flaegstad, Tore J. Gutteberg, Jorunn Pauline Cavanagh, Edith Majonga, Felix Dube, Slee Mhbele, Louis-Marie Yindom, Sarah Rowland-Jones, Mark Nicol
TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
(2020)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Amna R. Siddiqui, Apsara Ali Nathwani, Syed H. Abidi, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Iqbal Azam, Sobiya Sawani, Abdul M. Kazi, Aneeta Hotwani, Sikander Ali Memon, Jamila Soomro, Saqib Ali Shaikh, Baseer Achakzai, Quaid Saeed, Victoria Simms, Palwasha Khan, Rashida Ferrand, Fatima Mir
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Andrea M. Rehman, Rashida Ferrand, Elizabeth Allen, Victoria Simms, Grace McHugh, Helen Anne Weiss
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Rashida A. Ferrand, Grace McHugh, Andrea M. Rehman, Hilda Mujuru, Victoria Simms, Edith D. Majonga, Mark P. Nicol, Trond Flaegstad, Tore J. Gutteberg, Carmen Gonzalez-Martinez, Elizabeth L. Corbett, Sarah L. Rowland-Jones, Katharina Kranzer, Helen A. Weiss, Jon O. Odland
Article
Infectious Diseases
Regina E. Abotsi, Mark P. Nicol, Grace McHugh, Victoria Simms, Andrea M. Rehman, Charmaine Barthus, Slindile Mbhele, Brewster W. Moyo, Lucky G. Ngwira, Hilda Mujuru, Beauty Makamure, Justin Mayini, Jon O. Odland, Rashida A. Ferrand, Felix S. Dube
Summary: HIV-associated chronic lung disease (CLD) is common among children living with HIV (CLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa. CLD+ CLWH are more likely to be colonised by MC and SP strains, including penicillin-non-susceptible SP strains, than CLD- CLWH. The role of these bacteria in CLD pathogenesis, including the risk of acute exacerbations, should be further studied.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Chido Dziva Chikwari, Victoria Simms, Katharina Kranzer, Stefanie Dringus, Rudo Chikodzore, Edwin Sibanda, Karen Webb, Barbara Engelsmann, Nicol Redzo, Tsitsi Bandason, Hilda Mujuru, Tsitsi Apollo, Getrude Ncube, Karen Hatzold, Helen A. Weiss, Rashida A. Ferrand
Summary: The B-GAP study is an interventional research on HIV testing, focusing on testing and acceptance rates among index patients and children. The findings suggest that testing uptake is associated with factors such as gender, age, mother's HIV status, and testing methods for children.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ilhame Ouansafi, Dixon Chibanda, Epiphania Munetsi, Victoria Simms
Summary: Adolescents and young adults face high vulnerability to poor mental health, especially depression, globally, with HIV infections accounting for 36% of new cases in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Friendship Bench (FB) model, carried out by lay health workers trained in problem-solving therapy, has shown to improve HIV-positive youths' adherence to ART. Results showed emotional denial towards HIV, particularly for those infected perinatally, leading to low ART adherence. The study highlighted the importance of FB in helping young people accept their HIV status and improving their adherence to ART.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Andrea M. Rehman, Isaac Sekitoleko, Ruramayi Rukuni, Emily L. Webb, Grace McHugh, Tsitsi Bandason, Brewster Moyo, Lucky Gift Ngwira, Cynthia Mukwasi-Kahari, Celia L. Gregson, Victoria Simms, Suzanne Filteau, Rashida A. Ferrand
Summary: Impaired linear growth and slower pubertal growth can be associated with perinatal HIV infection. A study in southern Africa found that a significant proportion of HIV-infected adolescents experienced growth faltering during their adolescent period, with females showing an increase in body fat percentage. Older males and those with chronic lung disease were more likely to have stunted growth. Improvements in height-for-age scores were observed in some profiles over a year.
Article
Immunology
Chido Dziva Chikwari, Victoria Simms, Katharina Kranzer, Stefanie Dringus, Rudo Chikodzore, Edwin Sibanda, Karen Webb, Nicol Redzo, Hilda Mujuru, Tsitsi Apollo, Getrude Ncube, Karin Hatzold, Sarah Bernays, Helen A. Weiss, Rashida A. Ferrand
Summary: The study evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of caregivers conducting HIV testing for children using oral mucosal transudate (OMT) tests in Zimbabwe. Results showed that most caregivers were able to correctly perform the tests, with caregivers who received demonstrations performing better in test execution.
JAIDS-JOURNAL OF ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROMES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Fatima Mir, Apsara Nathwani, Victoria Simms, Syed Abidi, Amna Siddiqui, Aneeta Hotwani, Sikander Memon, Saqib Shaikh, Jamila Soomro, Sharaf Shah, Baseer Achakzai, Sofia Furqan, Quaid Saeed, Palwasha Khan, Helen Weiss, Syed Mahmood, Rashida Ferrand
Summary: An HIV outbreak predominantly affecting children occurred in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan in April 2019. A case-control study found that HIV infection in this outbreak was predominantly transmitted through parenteral routes, likely due to unsafe injection practices and poor blood safety practices.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Melanie Amna Abas, Helen Anne Weiss, Victoria Simms, Ruth Verhey, Simbarashe Rusakaniko, Ricardo Araya, Dixon Chibanda
Article
Health Policy & Services
Helen Mebrahtu, Lorraine Sherr, Victoria Simms, Helen A. Weiss, Rudo Chingono, Andrea M. Rehman, Patience Ndlovu, Frances M. Cowan
AIDS CARE-PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-MEDICAL ASPECTS OF AIDS/HIV
(2020)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Primrose Nyamayaro, Tarisai Bere, Jessica F. Magidson, Victoria Simms, Conall O'Cleirigh, Dixon Chibanda, Melanie Abas
COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL PRACTICE
(2020)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
H. Mebrahtu, L. Sherr, V. Simms, H. A. Weiss, A. M. Rehman, P. Ndlovu, F. M. Cowan