The ways in which children understand dying and death remain poorly understood; most studies have been carried out with samples other than persons with an illness. The objective of this study was to understand the process by which children directly involved with life-limiting conditions understand dying and death.

This qualitative study obtained interview data from N = 44 5–18-year-old children in the USA, Haiti, and Uganda who were pediatric palliative care patients or siblings of patients. Of these, 32 were children with a serious condition and 12 were siblings of a child with a serious condition. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, verified, and analyzed using grounded theory methodology.

Loss of normalcy and of relationships emerged as central themes described by both ill children and siblings. Resilience, altruism, and spirituality had a bidirectional relationship with loss, being strategies to manage both losses and anticipated death, but also being affected by losses. Resiliency and spirituality, but not altruism, had a bidirectional relationship with anticipating death. Themes were consistent across the 3 samples, although the beliefs and behaviors expressing them varied by country.

This study partially fills an identified gap in research knowledge about ways in which children in 3 nations understand dying and death. While children often lack an adult vocabulary to express thoughts about dying and death, results show that they are thinking about these topics. A proactive approach to address issues is warranted, and the data identify themes of concern to children.

Chronically ill adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients experience barriers to accessing psychosocial care. AYAs who receive palliative and psychosocial care experience numerous benefits from these services. However, we still lack research investigating age-appropriate programs targeting AYAs’ psychosocial needs that are delivered virtually and extend beyond the hospital setting. Streetlight is a palliative care program designed for chronically ill AYAs that offers the Streetlight Gaming League (SGL), an online health community (OHC) combining peer-based support, online gaming, and community events. We evaluated the usefulness, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of SGL through an assessment of chronically ill AYAs’ lived experiences.

We used a qualitative evaluation approach grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with 9 chronically ill AYAs to elicit in-depth accounts of their lived experiences of using SGL. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on questionnaire data. Phenomenological data analysis, informed by hermeneutic analysis, was used to analyze interviews.

AYAs reported positive experiences with SGL and valued the ability to engage in various content while having few participation expectations. They also described psychosocial benefits, including reprieve from illness, sense of community, and solidarity through mutual understandings and shared experiences.

Findings highlight the usefulness and acceptability of a virtual palliative psychosocial care program for chronically ill AYAs. Findings also suggest the effectiveness of SGL and support using an OHC to meet the psychosocial needs of AYAs. This study can guide future programming and implementation of online palliative psychosocial care programs in other hospital settings, resulting in similar beneficial and meaningful experiences.

Given the many statistical analysis options used for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of behavioral interventions and the lack of clear guidance for analysis selection, the present study aimed to characterize the predominate statistical analyses utilized in RCTs in palliative care and behavioral research and to highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses of each of these methods as guidance for future researchers and reform.

All RCTs published between 2015 and 2021 were systematically extracted from 4 behavioral medicine journals and analyzed based on prespecified inclusion criteria. Two independent raters classified each of the manuscripts into 1 of 5 RCT analysis strategies.

There was wide variation in the methods used. The 2 most prevalent analyses for RCTs were longitudinal modeling and analysis of covariance. Application of method varied significantly by sample size.

Each statistical analysis presents its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The information resulting from this research may prove helpful for researchers in palliative care and behavioral medicine in navigating the variety of statistical methods available. Future discussion around best practices in RCT analyses is warranted to compare the relative impact of interventions in a more standardized way.

Palliative sedation (PS) is an intrusive measure to relieve patients at the end of their life from otherwise untreatable symptoms. Intensive discussion of the advantages and limitations of palliative care with the patients and their relatives should precede the initiation of PS since PS is terminated by the patient’s death in most cases. Drugs for PS are usually administered intravenously. Midazolam is widely used, either alone or in combination with other substances. PS can be conducted in both inpatient and outpatient settings; however, a quality analysis comparing both modalities was missing so far.

This prospective observational study collected data from patients undergoing PS inpatient at the palliative care unit (PCU, n = 26) or outpatient at a hospice (n = 2) or at home (specialized outpatient palliative care [SAPV], n = 31) between July 2017 and June 2018. Demographical data, indications for PS, and drug protocols were analyzed. The depth of sedation according to the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) and the degree of satisfaction of staff members and patient’s relatives were included as parameters for quality assessment.

Patients undergoing PS at the PCU were slightly younger compared to outpatients (hospice and SAPV combined). Most patients suffered from malignant diseases, and midazolam was the backbone of sedation for inpatients and outpatients. The median depth of sedation was between +1 and −3 according to the RASS with a trend to deeper sedation prior to death. The median degree of satisfaction was “good,” scored by staff members and by patient’s relatives. Significant differences between inpatients and outpatients were not seen in protocols, depth of sedation, and degree of satisfaction.

The data support the thesis that PS is possible for inpatients and outpatients with comparable results. For choosing the best place for PS, other aspects such as patient’s and relative’s wishes, stress, and medical reasons should be considered.

The purpose of this study was to describe disrespectful, inadequate, and abusive care to seriously ill patients who identify as transgender and their partners.

A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted. The sample included 865 nurses, physicians, social workers, and chaplains. Respondents were asked whether they had observed disrespectful, inadequate, or abusive care due to the patient being transgender and to describe such care.

Of the 21.3% of participants who reported observing discriminatory care to a transgender patient, 85.3% had observed disrespectful care, 35.9% inadequate care, and 10.3% abusive care. Disrespectful care included insensitivity; rudeness, ridicule, and gossip by staff; not acknowledging or accepting the patient’s gender identity or expression; privacy violations; misgendering; and using the incorrect name. Inadequate care included denying, delaying, or rushing care; ignorance of appropriate medical and other care; and marginalizing or ignoring the spouse/partner.

These findings illustrate discrimination faced by seriously ill transgender patients and their spouse/partners. Providers who are disrespectful may also deliver inadequate care to transgender patients, which may result in mistrust of providers and the health-care system. Inadequate care due to a patient’s or spouse’s/partner’s gender identity is particularly serious. Dismissing spouses/partners as decision-makers or conferring with biological family members against the patient’s wishes may result in unwanted care and constitute a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) violation. Institutional policies and practices should be assessed to determine the degree to which they are affirming to both patients and staff, and revised if needed. Federal and state civil rights legislation protecting the LGBTQ+ community are needed, particularly given the rampant transphobic legislation and the majority of states lacking civil rights laws protecting LGBTQ+ people. Training healthcare professionals and staff to become competent and comfortable treating transgender patients is critical to providing optimal care for these seriously ill patients and their spouse/partner.

The deathbed symbolizes a time when the patient is dangerously ill and where death is imminent. The memories of family caregivers during this time can potentially shape their meaning-making of the patient’s death and bereavement adjustment. We aimed to understand the experiences of family caregivers at the deathbed of patients receiving palliative care. We also examined caregiver’s meaning-making that occurred after the patient’s death.

In this retrospective qualitative study, family caregivers of cancer patients who received palliative care in Singapore were recruited through purposive sampling. In-person, semi-structured interviews were individually conducted with study participants to understand their experiences from a caregiver’s perspective before and after the death of the patient. Thematic content analysis method was conducted.

A total of 25 bereaved family caregivers were interviewed, with spouses, adult children, and others comprising one-third each of the sample. Six themes emerged from caregivers’ recollected experiences around the patient deathbed: Lasting image of the patient, A time of intense emotions, Healthcare providers prepare caregivers, A time for saying goodbye, Rituals provide comfort, and Impact on family ties. Four themes emerged surrounding post-loss meaning-making: An end to the pain and suffering, “Have I done enough?,” Significance in the timing of events, and Gaining strength and personal growth.

The deathbed is a salient time for family caregivers as they prepare for patient’s death. There are opportunities to provide support to the family based on the study findings.

Accurate prognostic understanding among patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers is associated with greater engagement in advance care planning (ACP) and receipt of goal-concordant care. Poor prognostic understanding is more prevalent among racial and ethnic minority patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a patient–caregiver communication-based intervention to improve prognostic understanding, engagement in ACP, and completion of advance directives among a racially and ethnically diverse, urban sample of patients and their caregivers.

Patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers (n = 22 dyads) completed assessments of prognostic understanding, engagement in ACP, and completion of advance directives at baseline and post-intervention, Talking About Cancer (TAC). TAC is a 7-session intervention delivered remotely by licensed social workers that includes distress management and communication skills, review of prognosis, and information on ACP.

TAC met a priori benchmarks for feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity. Prognostic understanding and engagement in ACP did not change over time. However, patients showed increases in completion of advance directives.

TAC was feasible, acceptable, and delivered with high fidelity. Involvement of caregivers in TAC may provide added layers of support to patients facing advanced cancer diagnoses, especially among racial and ethnic minorities. Trends indicated greater completion of advance directives but not in prognostic understanding or engagement in ACP. Future research is needed to optimize the intervention to improve acceptability, tailor to diverse patient populations, and examine the efficacy of TAC in a randomized controlled trial.

Palliative sedation (PS) consists of the use of drugs to alleviate the suffering of patients with refractory symptoms, through a reduction in consciousness. The aim of this study is to describe the incidence of and indications for PS in patients treated by pediatric palliative care teams (PPCT), and the relationship between PS, the place of death, and the characteristics of the care teams.

Ambispective study with the participation of 14 PPCT working in Spain.

From January to December 2019, a total of 164 patients attended by these PPCT died. Of these, 83 (50.6%) received PS during their last 24 hours. The most frequent refractory symptoms were terminal suffering (n = 40, 48.2%), dyspnea (n = 9, 10.8%), pain (n = 8, 9.6%), and convulsive state (n = 7, 8.4%). Sedation in the last 24 hours of life was more likely if the patient died in hospital, rather than at home (62.9% vs. 33.3%, p < 0.01); if the parents had not expressed their preference regarding the place of death (69.2% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.009); and if the PPCT had less than 5 years’ experience (66.7% vs. 45.5%, p = 0.018).

PS is a real possibility in pediatric end-of-life care and relates to care planning and team expertise.

Sleep disturbances are common among adult patients with cancer and their caregivers. To our knowledge, no sleep intervention to date has been designed to be provided to both patients with cancer and their caregivers simultaneously. This single-arm study aimed to pilot test the feasibility and acceptability, and to illustrate the preliminary efficacy on sleep efficiency of the newly developed dyadic sleep intervention, My Sleep Our Sleep (MSOS: NCT04712604).

Adult patients who were newly diagnosed with a gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and their sleep-partner caregivers (n = 20 persons: 10 dyads, 64 years old, 60% female patients, 20% Hispanic, 28 years relationship duration), both of whom had at least mild levels of sleep disturbance (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] ≥ 5) participated in this study. MSOS intervention consists of four 1-hour weekly sessions delivered using Zoom to the patient–caregiver dyad together.

We were able to enroll 92.9% of the eligible and screened patient–caregiver dyads within 4 months. Participants reported high satisfaction in 8 domains (average 4.76 on a 1–5 rating). All participants agreed that the number of sessions, interval (weekly), and delivery mode (Zoom) were optimal. Participants also preferred attending the intervention with their partners. Both patients and caregivers showed improvement in sleep efficiency after completing the MSOS intervention: Cohen’s d = 1.04 and 1.47, respectively.

Results support the feasibility and acceptability, as well as provide the preliminary efficacy of MSOS for adult patients with GI cancer and their sleep-partner caregivers. Findings suggest the need for more rigorous controlled trial designs for further efficacy testing of MSOS intervention.

Since 2015, the Harvard Workshop on Research Methods in Supportive Oncology has trained early-career investigators in skills to develop rigorous studies in supportive oncology. This study examines workshop evaluations over time in the context of two factors: longitudinal participant feedback and a switch from in-person to virtual format during the COVID pandemic.

We examined post-workshop evaluations for participants who attended the workshop from 2015 to 2021. We qualitatively analyzed evaluation free text responses on ways in which the workshop could be improved and “other comments.” Potential areas of improvement were categorized and frequencies were compiled longitudinally. Differences in participants' ratings of the workshop and demographics between in-person and virtual formats were investigated with t-tests and Chi-square tests, respectively.

286 participants attended the workshop over 8 years. Participant ratings of the workshop remained consistently high without substantial variation across all years. Three main themes emerged from the “other comments” item: (1) sense of community; (2) passion and empowerment; and (3) value of protected time. Participants appeared to identify fewer areas for improvement over time. There were no significant differences in participant ratings or demographics between the in-person and virtual formats.

While the workshop has experienced changes over time, participant evaluations varied little. The core content and structure might have the greatest influence on participants’ experiences.

Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, additional risk factors affecting family caregivers’ mental health have arisen. Therefore, personal stress coping strategies and family dynamics became important factors in reducing the impact of the pandemic on family caregivers’ mental health. The present research aimed to estimate the association between COVID-19 stressors and family caregiving burden. Moreover, moderating effects of emotion dysregulation and family functioning on this association were investigated.

This study analyzed data collected in April 2021 from 154 family caregivers (Mage = 38.79, SDage = 9.36, range = 22–64) recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The impact of COVID-19 stressors on family caregiving burden was tested, and moderating impacts of emotion dysregulation and family functioning were also investigated.

Both COVID-19 stress exposure and stress appraisal were positively associated with family caregiving burden. Emotion dysregulation and problematic family functioning were also positively associated with family caregiving burden. A significant moderating effect of emotion dysregulation was found, such that family caregivers with higher emotion dysregulation were likely to feel more caregiving burden when they experienced more COVID-19 stressors.

The current research highlighted the role of emotion regulation in reducing the negative impact of COVID-19 stressors on family caregiving burden. The research also emphasizes the need for intervention programs to improve emotion regulation strategies to decrease family caregiving burden during the pandemic.

With a fraction of hospices having their Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) scores on Hospice Compare, a significant reservoir of hospice quality data remains in online caregiver reviews. The purpose of this study was to develop a method and model of hospice quality assessment from caregiver reviews using Watson’s carative model.

Retrospective mixed methods of pilot qualitative thematic analysis and sentiment analysis using NLP of Google and Yelp caregiver reviews between 2013 and 2023. We employed stratified sampling, weighted according to hospice size, to emulate the daily census of enrollees across the United States. Sentiment analysis was performed (n = 3393) using Google NLP.

Two themes with the highest prevalence had moderately positive sentiments (S): Caring staff (+.47) and Care quality, comfort and cleanliness (+.41). Other positive sentiment scores with high prevalence were Gratitude and thanks (+.81), “Treating the patient with respect” (+.54), and “Emotional, spiritual, bereavement support” (+.60). Lowest sentiment scores were “Insurance, administrative or billing” (–.37), “Lack of staffing” (–.32), and “Communication with the family” (–.01).

In the developed quality model, caregivers recommended hospices with caring staff, providing quality care, responsive to requests, and offering family support, including bereavement care. All ten Watson's carative factors and all eight CAHPS measures were presented in the discovered review themes of the quality model. Close-ended CAHPS scores and open-ended online reviews have substantial conceptual overlap and complementary insights. Future hospice quality research should explore caregiver expectations and compare review themes by profit status.

Family caregivers often feel insufficiently prepared for a caregiving role, experiencing challenges and demands related to care at home that may negatively affect their own quality of life. Supportive interventions have been shown to influence negative effects, but more studies are needed. Therefore, this study aims to explore potential effects of the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention on preparedness, caregiver burden, and quality of life among Swedish family caregivers in specialized home care.

The study had a pre–post intervention design and was conducted at 6 specialized home care services in Sweden. Family caregivers who received the intervention completed a questionnaire, including the Preparedness for caregiving scale, Caregiver Burden Scale, and Quality of Life in Life-Threatening Illness – Family carer version, at 2 time points, baseline and follow up, about 5 weeks later. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Altogether, 33 family caregivers completed the baseline and follow-up assessment. A majority were retired (n = 26, 81%) and women (n = 19, 58%) and two-fifths had a university degree (n = 13, 41%). The family caregivers had significantly increased their preparedness for caregiving between the baseline and follow-up assessment (Mdn = 18 vs. 20, p = 0.002). No significant changes were found on caregiver burden or quality of life.

The results add to knowledge regarding the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention’s potential to improve family caregiver outcomes. Findings suggest that the intervention may be used to improve the preparedness for caregiving and support among family caregivers in specialized home care.

This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients in Spain’s north-eastern region, their inclusion in chronic care programmes, and their psychosocial and spiritual needs (PSNs).

A longitudinal descriptive study in adult patients with ALS. We analyzed clinical variables and participation in chronicity and PSNs assessment using the tool Psychosocial and Spiritual Needs Evaluation scale in end-of-life patients (ENP-E scale).

81 patients (average age 65.6 ± 11.7) were studied. At the study’s outset, 29.7% employed non-invasive ventilation (NIV), increasing to 51.9% by its conclusion. Initial percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) utilization was 14.8%, rising to 35.85%. Chronic care programme participation was as follows: home care (24.7% initially, 50.6% end), palliative care (16% initially, 40.7% end), case management (13.6% initially, 50.6% end), and advance care planning registration (6.2% initially, 35.8% end). At study start, 47.8% of patients (n = 46) showed moderate-to-severe complexity in PSNs assessment using the ENP-E scale, without showing differences in age, sex, and time of evolution; whereas, on the evolutionary analysis, it was 75% (n = 24). A higher evolutionary complexity was observed in males <60 and >70 years, with no PEG and evolution of ALS of <2 and ≥5 years, and not included in chronicity programmes. When assessing concerns, physical pain and family aspects stand out in all measurements. Forty-eight percent of patients at study start and 71% at end of study showed external signs of emotional distress.

Most ALS patients showed a high degree of complexity and were not integrated in chronicity programmes. A “care path” is proposed to integrate ALS patients in these programmes and systematically assess their needs.

This qualitative study aimed to investigate communication about death in consultations with patients undergoing chemotherapy with no curative intent. Specifically, we examined (i) how the topic of death was approached, who raised it, in what way, and which responses were elicited, (ii) how the topic unfolded during consultations, and (iii) whether interaction patterns or distinguishing ways of communicating can be identified.

The data consisted of 134 audio-recorded follow-up consultations. A framework of sensitizing concepts was developed, and interaction patterns were looked for when death was discussed.

The subject of death and dying was most often initiated by patients, and they raised it in various ways. In most consultations, direct talk about death was initiated only once. We identified 4 interaction patterns. The most frequent consists of indirect references to death by patients, followed by a direct mention of the death of a loved one, and a statement of the oncologists aiming to skip the subject.

Patients and oncologists have multiple ways of raising, pursuing, addressing and evacuating the subject of death. Being attentive and recognizing these ways and associated interaction patterns can help oncologists to think and elaborate on this topic and to facilitate discussions.

Childhood cancer survivors are at risk of developing primary recurrences and new second cancers. Experiencing a recurrence and/or second cancer can be highly distressing for survivors and families. We aimed to understand the psychological impacts of experiencing a recurrence or second cancer and how this potentially influences survivors’ engagement with survivorship care.

We invited childhood cancer survivors or their parents if survivors were ≤16 years of age from 11 tertiary pediatric oncology hospitals across Australia and New Zealand to complete interviews. We conducted a thematic analysis facilitated by NVivo12.

We interviewed 21 participants of whom 16 had experienced a recurrence, 3 had a second cancer, and 2 had both a recurrence and second cancer. Participants reported that a recurrence/second cancer was a stressful sudden disruption to life, accompanied by strong feelings of uncertainty. Participants tended to be less aware of their second cancer risk than recurrence risk. Some participants reported feelings of anxiousness and despair, describing varying responses such as gratitude or avoidance. Participants shared that the fear of cancer recurrence either motivated them to adopt protective health behaviors or to avoid information and disengage from survivorship care.

Some survivors and their parents have a poor understanding and expressed reluctance to receive information about their risk of second cancer and other treatment-related late effects. Improving the delivery of information about late effects to families may improve their engagement with survivorship care and surveillance, although care must be taken to balance information provision and survivors’ anxieties about their future health.

The article aims to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a short-term 3-day art therapy group for children who have experienced parental death to cancer.

The study utilized a pretest–posttest design and included children (n = 20) aged 7–12 years. The feasibility of the intervention was measured by recruitment ability, study compliance, and intervention adherence, while acceptability was assessed using a child-reported satisfaction survey. Efficacy was examined using the child-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), while the emotional, social, and behavioral functioning of children was measured using the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Paired sample t-tests were used for analyses.

The intervention was found to be feasible (80% recruitment rate and 100% session adherence). Acceptability was high, and all participants were satisfied and found the intervention to be helpful. While results did not reach statistical significance, improvements in psychosocial and physical quality of life were reported by all the children post-intervention and at the 3-month follow-up. Parent-reported a decrease in behavioral difficulties scores and an increase in prosocial behavior scores at post-intervention and at the 3-month follow-up.

The 3-day art therapy group intervention was shown to be feasible to conduct and acceptable to the recipients. The intervention shows promise in improving post-death adjustment and quality of life outcomes of children bereaved by parental death due to cancer that were maintained after 3 months. The use of art therapy groups to ameliorate difficulties associated with parental loss and to assist children in coping day-to-day difficulties should be further investigated.