A selection from Barry Ashpole's latest edition of Literature Search. a listing of recent articles and reports on key issues in hospice and palliative care.
On My Radar
By Barry R. Ashpole
Communications consultant & IAHPC board member
Reports from 137 primary caregivers in Italy were analyzed, and interviews with 23 caregivers conducted, to determine six dimensions, or themes, of caregiving. They are: living in the patient’s world, burden of illness and caregiving, assuming the caregiver role, renegotiating relationships, confronting mortality, and maintaining resilience. The authors state that this study could be the groundwork for the development of a dedicated questionnaire.
This Turkish study involved five caregivers of spouses with varying diagnoses, who provided care for months or years. Four themes were identified: concerns about themselves; overestimating their health care problems, anxiety about staying strong; consequences of the patient; remembering the patient as a “hero.” Subthemes were also identified, including acceptance of the situation, challenges about caregiving, making sacrifices, excessive responsibility, embarrassment about diaper care, initial lack of knowledge about caregiving, coping strategies, divine providence, and religious beliefs.
In this study from Spain, interviews with 24 family caregivers of terminally ill patients and researchers' field notes informed a thematic inductive analysis. "Two main themes were identified: caregivers’ perception of scientific and technical appropriateness of care, and perception of person-centred care… Caregivers of patients admitted to a PCU unit described their experience of end-of-life care as positive, while their non-PCU unit counterparts described largely negative experiences."
Help us to help others: IAHPC's annual fundraiser!
How your gift supports the IAHPC mission
Achieved: $24,941
Goal: $30,000
83%
Education
Your gift funds the operational costs of our online courses taught by globally recognized experts who volunteer their time and provide educational resources relevant to palliative care topics. It also supports scholarships that enable palliative care workers to attend educational events and congresses, and allows us to maintain Pallipedia, the free, live, online dictionary.
The goal of this pillar is to implement strategies, resources and tools that will improve the competencies of the global workforce for appropriate palliative care delivery. We have two programs under this pillar plus many other resources for our members.
Your gift enables us to build and strengthen the partnerships that accelerate global, regional, and national advocacy for palliative care. We advocate for its integration into primary health care under universal health coverage and effective access to essential palliative care medicines and packages for people of all ages. Your gift supports our work to prepare delegates and participate in technical consultation meetings of the relevant UN organizations.
The goal this pillar is the integration of palliative care into primary health care within the spectrum of universal coverage to improve access to adequate care for patients in need. We offer the following to our members:
Documents on Human Rights and Access to Medicines and Care
Research
Your gift enables us to continue doing research that provides guidance and recommendations for action, based on responses from the global palliative care community. Such research includes our recent evaluation of the impact of euthanasia and assisted dying practices on palliative care workers and the use of essential medicines for palliative care. It also supports the costs of publications focused on research relevant to palliative care.
The goal of this pillar is to design and implement projects that lead to the integration of palliative care into health policies, resolutions, and key documents. Our studies help us provide guidance and recommendations, and take action based on the responses from the global palliative care community.
Your membership enables you to participate in IAHPC projects such as the:
Your gift enables us to continue our in-depth reporting and book reviews in Pallinews, as well as media campaigns that raise awareness about the need to increase access to care and support for patients and families.
We are a small organization that allocates over 80% of our budget to mission driven programs and to the maintenance of our free website. We need operational funding to continue the work.
Give a gift, get a gift
IAHPC members: When you gift a 2-year membership to a colleague in a low- or middle-income country, we extend your membership by 6 months.