One of the most critical tools to enable and facilitate research to improve patient care is access to new information and transfer of technologies. Scientific publications and peer reviewed journals are one of the most powerful tools in this regard. However, access to publications is very limited in developing countries for several reasons, but mostly the high costs of subscriptions and membership fees to some of the organizations that own the journals.
Many of you are aware that IAHPC, through an agreement with EBSCO, offers access for our members to a large database of journals and publications. The CINAHL database is a means to bridge this gap. Our members are able to access thousands of citations and hundreds of journals including the following:
Indian Journal of Palliative Care
International Journal of Palliative Nursing
Internet Journal of Pain, Symptom Control & Palliative Care
Journal of Palliative Medicine
Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy
Palliative Medicine
Progress in Palliative Care
You can find instructions on how to use the CINAHL database and how to download full text articles in these journals here.
We also want to highlight Pallipedia, our online Palliative Care Dictionary, at www.pallipedia.org. The objective of Pallipedia is to develop and continuously grow a high quality, objective educational resource for the global Palliative Care community. Pallipedia currently has 929 terms and 1,092 definitions (several terms have more than one definition). The team at Pallium India, under the leadership of Dr MR Rajagopal, started working in the dictionary during the second semester of 2012 in order to update the definitions. We will continue working with them on this project. By the end of 2013 we hope to have reached more than 1,200 terms.
This edition of the NL also features a piece by Dr. Eduardo Bruera about another great educational resource which enables palliative care workers from around the globe to access an annual intensive board review course given by the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Long distance learning education with access to new information has been demonstrated to be a very cost effective way to reach large audiences.
We hope you take advantage of these resources and use them to improve and advance palliative care in your own settings and practice.
Best wishes to all and until next month,
Regards,
Roberto Wenk, MD
Chair, Board of Directors
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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.