The COVID-19 pandemic has widened the funded use of telehealth in Australia to support telehealth delivery to all patients in any setting. Increasing the use and experience of telehealth brings to light unique insights into the advantages and challenges of this new model of healthcare delivery This study aimed to qualitatively explore the experiences of both palliative care physicians and patients setting, including their views on its future role in healthcare.

This qualitative study was conducted across three metropolitan tertiary palliative care centers in Victoria, Australia between November 2020 and March 2021. Purposive sampling identified 23 participants (12 physicians and 11 patients). Semi-structured interviews focused on the last telehealth consultation, thoughts and impressions of telehealth, and the possibility of telehealth remaining in palliative care. A thematic approach was adopted to code and analyze the data.

Telehealth transformed the ways physicians and patients in this study perceived and engaged with outpatient palliative care across the entire continuum of care. Four key themes were identified: (1) access to care; (2) delivery of care; (3) engagement with care; and (4) the future.

This study provides novel data bringing together the perspective of patients and physicians, which confirms the utility of telehealth in palliative care. Its convenience enables more frequent review, enables reviews to occur in response to lower levels of concern, and adds toward enhancing the continuity of care across and between settings. Moving forward, support seemed strongest for a hybrid model of telehealth and face-to-face consultations guided by key parameters relating to the level of anticipated complexity.

In 2019, the Danish parliament issued legislation requiring Danish physicians to clarify and honor seriously ill patients’ treatment preferences. The American POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) document could be a valuable model for this process. The aim of the study was to examine patients' preferences for life-sustaining treatment and participant assessment of a Danish POLST form.

The study is a prospective intervention based on a pilot-tested Danish POLST form. Participant assessments were examined using questionnaire surveys. Patients with serious illness and/or frailty from seven hospital wards, two general practitioners, and four nursing homes were included. The patients and their physicians completed the POLST form based on a process of shared decision-making.

A total of 95 patients (aged 41–95) participated. Hereof, 88% declined cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 83% preferred limited medical interventions or comfort care, and 74% did not require artificial nutrition. The preferences were similar within age groups, genders, and locations, but with a tendency toward younger patients being more in favor of full treatment and nursing home residents being more in favor of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Questionnaire response rates were 69% (66/95) for patients, 79% (22/28) for physicians, and 31% (9/29) for nurses. Hereof, the majority of patients, physicians, and nurses found that the POLST form was usable for conversations and decision-making about life-sustaining treatment to either a high or very high degree.

The majority of seriously ill patients did not want a resuscitation attempt and opted for selected treatments. The majority of participants found that the Danish POLST was usable for conversations and decisions about life-sustaining treatment to either a high or a very high degree, and that the POLST form facilitated an opportunity to openly discuss life-sustaining treatment.

This study aimed to explore in a naturalistic, real-life setting the dynamics of trust in oncological consultations.

Cases to study were purposively selected from a data set of audio-recorded and transcribed consultations between oncology physicians and patients with advanced cancer, and analyzed qualitatively. The analytical approach was deductive, relying on a thematic framework of dimensions of trust, and inductive, not restricted by this framework.

The multiple case study approach allowed to identify factors, which play a role in the dynamics of trust. These factors are the number of treating physicians and how they communicate, continuity of care and the capital of trust, the hierarchical position of the physician and the physician's self-trust, and the patient's personality.

The findings illustrate the importance to contextualize trust in the flow of oncological consultations and to conceive it comprehensively for each singular encounter between patients and clinicians.

Cervical cancer is known to affect survivors’ intimate relationships, as well as their communication and coping. Yet little is known about the perspectives of these survivors on their intimate relationships in the context of their needs during and after medical treatment. Additionally, only a few studies have focused on survivors’ perceived needs or on existing psychosexual support. Understanding these perceptions can help provide a tailored response and improve dyadic interventions. The aim of this study was to examine cervical cancer survivors’ perspectives on their intimate relationships during and after their treatment.

The present study adopted a qualitative-phenomenological approach. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of cervical cancer between the ages of 38 and 44 who were diagnosed at stages I–II and were treated with radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy and surgery. Data collection continued until saturation of concepts was reached. The results underwent thematic analysis.

Analysis of the findings revealed two key themes: (1) Together and apart in the shadow of cervical cancer. This theme focuses on the recovery period as a potential opportunity for changing and improving the couple relationship, such that men no longer withdraw but rather provide their partners with needed support and encouragement. (2) Changes in sexual life and couple intimacy. This theme focuses on changes in sexual relations, which have become a burden, painful, and something to avoid.

The study provides a comprehensive picture of intimate relationships during and after cervical cancer treatment and highlights the women's needs and desires for support from their intimate partners. The discussion notes that oncology providers can better facilitate supportiveness on the part of cervical cancer partners by offering better couple-oriented education and interventions to promote couple communication.

The aim of this study was to compare the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of delirium in patients treated in a clinical cardiology unit (CCU) and an oncological palliative care unit (OPCU) at a high-complexity institution.

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome with multicausal etiology, associated with increased morbidity and mortality.

This was a cross-sectional, analytical observational study. CCU and OPCU patients were evaluated for 480 days. The diagnosis was made according to DSM-V. Sociodemographic characteristics, the Karnofsky index, and the Charlson index were evaluated. Possible etiologies were verified. Severity was assessed with the Delirium Severity Scale (DRS-R98).

A total of 1,986 patients were evaluated, 205 were eligible, and 110 were included in the study (CCU: 61, OPCU: 49). Delirium prevalence was 11.35% in the CCU and 9.87% in the OPCU. CCU patients were 12 years older (p < 0.03) and a history of dementia (41 vs. 8.2%; p < 0.001). Organ failure was the most frequent etiology of delirium in the CCU (41.0%), and in the OPCU, the etiologies were neoplasms (28.6%), side effect of medication (22.4%), and infections (2.5%). Differences were found in the clinical characteristics of delirium evaluated by DRS-R98, with the condition being more severe and with a higher frequency of psychotic symptoms in OPCU patients.

Delirium was a common condition in hospitalized patients in the CCU and the OPCU. The clinical characteristics were similar in both groups; however, significant differences were found in OPCU patients in terms of age, personal history of dementia, and opioid use, as well as the severity of delirium and a greater association with psychotic symptoms. These findings have implications for the early implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Data regarding the palliative needs of pediatric patients with central nervous system (CNS) cancer are scarce. We aimed to describe the attention provided by a pediatric palliative care (PPC) team to patients with CNS cancer and the differences in care compared to patients who did not receive PPC.

This retrospective study was based on the clinical records of deceased patients with CNS cancer attended by a PPC team over 10 years, analyzing their trajectory and provision of PPC, including medical, psychological, social, and nursing interventions. Furthermore, we compared the last month of life care of deceased patients with CNS cancer in the same institution, based on whether they were attended by the PPC team.

Of 71 patients, 59 received PPC, with a median of 1.6 months (Interquartile range: 0.6–5.2) from referral to death. Home hospitalization was provided to 84.8%, nursing interventions were registered in 89.8%, psychological characteristics in 84.7%, and social interventions in 88.1%. The most common symptoms were pain, dyspnea, and constipation. When comparing patients from the same hospital who received PPC (n = 36) with those who did not (n = 12), the former spent fewer days in the hospital in their last month and last week (p < 0.01) and were more likely to die at home (50% vs. 0%; p < 0.01).

Patients with CNS cancer show various medical, social, and psychological needs during end-of-life care. Providing specific PPC interventions decreased the number of days spent at the hospital and increased the rate of death at home.

This study aimed to adapt the meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) to treat post-bereavement grief in Japanese bereaved families who lost their loved ones to cancer and to examine the feasibility of the intervention using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

A modified version of MCP was developed with cultural consideration. Bereaved individuals aged ≥18 years who had lost their family members to cancer at least 6 months before and had severe or persistent grief with a score of ≥26 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG-19) were included in the study. The participants received the modified version of MCP, which was provided in a 5-session monthly format. The levels of grief (ICG-19), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]), general health (General Health Questionnaire-12), and post-traumatic growth (Post-traumatic Growth Inventory -Short Form) were compared before and after the intervention.

Five bereaved individuals were enrolled, and all the participants completed the program. The mean scores of the ICG-19. The participants’ sense of regret, guilt, and being separated from the deceased person gradually shifted to the reappraisal of the experience, leading to a broadened view of the relationship with the deceased, and rediscovery of the core values, identity, and roles of the participants through the process of rediscovery of the meaning of life.

A modified version of the MCP was well accepted by Japanese bereaved families. The intervention appears to promote the rediscovery of the meaning of life and appears to have the potential to alleviate the bereaved individuals’ depression and grief-related symptoms and to facilitate their post-traumatic growth.

Millions of Americans may face hard decisions when it comes to providing nutrition for their loved ones with advanced dementia. This study aimed to ascertain whether there is a difference in feeding tube placement between White and Black patients with advanced dementia and whether this potential difference varied by patient's other demographic and clinical characteristics.

This is a retrospective, observational study conducted at Novant Health, a 15-hospital system in the southeastern United States. Data were obtained from Epic systems and included all hospital admissions with a diagnosis of advanced dementia, a total of 21,939, between July 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018. Descriptive statistics and logistics analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between receiving percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and race, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics.

Among patients admitted with advanced dementia, the multivariable logistic regression, controlled for age, gender, LOS, palliative care, and vascular etiology showed that Blacks had higher odds of having PEG tubes inserted than White patients (OR 1.97; CI 1.51–2.55; P < 0.001). Patients with longer stays had higher odds of PEG tube insertion. Females had lower odds of PEG tube insertion than males. There was no statistical significance in PEG insertion based on age, etiology, and palliative care consult.

The reasons for the observed higher odds of receiving PEG tubes among Black patients than White patients are likely multifactorial and embedded in a different approach to end-of-life care conversations by providers and caregivers of Black and White patients. Providers may need to be more aware of potential unconscious biases when talking to caregivers, especially in race-discordant relationships, have courageous conversations with caregivers, and be more aware of the importance of keeping in mind families’ and caregivers’ culture, including spirituality, when making end-of-life decisions.

Sexual self-concept has an influence on the sexual behaviors of women with breast cancer. Supportive programs for these women have demonstrable empirical efficacy; however, their effectiveness has not been examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a supportive program based on social networks on the sexual self-concept of women with breast cancer.

In this randomized controlled single-blind trial, 60 women were assigned to the intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups using permuted block randomization. Overall, eight 45-min intervention sessions were held (twice a week). The primary outcome was sexual self-concept, and the secondary outcomes were women's sexual quality of life and participants’ satisfaction. The questionnaires were completed by patients before the intervention and immediately and 1 month after the intervention.

The generalized equation estimation test showed that the positive sexual self-concept score of the intervention group versus the control group had increased by 15.67 points (P < 0.001, effect size = 2.00) 1 month after the intervention. The negative sexual self-concept score had decreased by 2.65 points (P < 0.001, effect size = 0.74), and the situational sexual self-concept score had upturned by 6.82 points (P < 0.001, effect size = 2.08) in the intervention group at the same period. Also, the sexual quality of life score in the intervention group compared to the control group generally increased by 13.82 points (P < 0.001, Effect size = 2.08) 1 month following the intervention.

A social networking support program can be a promising approach to improve the sexual self-concept of women with breast cancer.

Iranian Clinical Trial Register, IRCT20150608022609N8. Registered on 2 July 2020.

End-of-life care (EOLC) communication is beneficial but underutilized, particularly in conditions with a variable course such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). Physicians’ emotional distress intolerance has been identified as a barrier to EOLC communication. However, studies of emotional distress intolerance in EOLC have largely relied on anecdotal reports, qualitative data, or observational studies of physician–patient communication. A free-standing measure of multiple dimensions of distress tolerance is warranted to enable the identification of individuals experiencing distress intolerance and to facilitate the effective targeting of interventions to improve distress tolerance.

This study provides preliminary data on the reliability and validity of the Physician Distress Intolerance (PDI) scale. We examine potential subdimensions of emotional distress intolerance.

Family medicine and internal medicine physicians completed the PDI, read vignettes describing patients with COPD or CHF, and indicated whether they initiated or delayed EOLC communication with their patients with similar conditions.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on separate samples. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that a three-factor solution was superior to a two- or one-factor solution. Three subscales were created: Anticipating Negative Emotions, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Iatrogenic Harm. The full scale and subscales had adequate internal consistency and demonstrated evidence of validity. Higher scores on the PDI, indicating greater distress intolerance, were negatively associated with initiation and positively associated with delay of EOLC communication. Subscales provided unique information.

The PDI can contribute to research investigating and addressing emotional barriers to EOLC communication.

To evaluate an enrichment training program targeted at home palliative care professionals in terms of its effects and participants’ satisfaction. The program had 2 main aims: give voice to professionals’ emotional fatigue and promote their personal resources.

One hundred twenty-three home palliative care professionals participated in 12 parallel training courses; each course consisted of four 3-hour meetings led by 2 trainers and involved about 10–15 participants. The program adopted the method and tools typical of the enrichment approach, with the insertion of an art therapy exercise in the central meetings. The topics addressed were the following: emotional awareness in care relationship; the recognition of the needs of the patient, the family, and the professional himself; the inevitability of the death of the patient; and the challenges and resources of the multidisciplinary care team. At the first (T1) and last (T2) meetings, participants filled in a self-report questionnaire assessing work emotional fatigue, empowerment, generativity, and satisfaction with the course.

Participants were highly satisfied with the course. They reported a higher level of work emotional fatigue and a higher perception of personal resources, in terms of empowerment (both individual-oriented and relationship-oriented) and generativity at the end of the program than before.

Results confirm the need to provide home palliative care professionals with trainings in which they can express, share, and deal with personal and professional needs. This course gave voice to professionals’ work emotional fatigue and promoted their personal resources, while enhancing collaboration in the multidisciplinary team.

Early palliative care integration into the oncologic treatment pattern is recognized and strongly recommended to anticipate end-of-life issues and avoid disproportionate care. Targeted therapies (TTs), with their very rapid onset of action and relatively good tolerance, may have an effect on cancer-related symptoms, which could be beneficial in the context of palliative care.

Data were extracted from a cohort of all patients hospitalized in an acute palliative care unit between 03.04.2019 and 07.04.2020. Data for all consecutive patients for which a decision on a TT was made during hospitalization were retrospectively analyzed.

Forty-two patients were identified. Thirty-one patients were currently receiving TT on admission. For 19/31 (61.3%) patients, the treatment was discontinued. The remaining 12 patients had TT after discharge from the palliative care unit (continuation of the same TT or modification of the TT during the stay), with an average duration of 208 days and an average of 46 days between the last TT and death. TT was introduced or reintroduced in 7 patients of the 11 patients hospitalized without treatment at admission. In this group, the average duration of treatment was 28 days, with an average of 28 days between the last TT and death. Five of the patients who received re-challenged TT experienced a subjective improvement of their symptom.

TT was discontinued in the majority of our patients. However, in some cases, the treatment was maintained because it was effective on cancer-related symptoms even at the end of life. However, this should not overshadow the palliative process. The continuation or introduction of a specific oncological treatment requires close cooperation between oncologists and palliative care physicians and an honest and clear explanation to patients and their families.

Financial toxicity is of increasing concern in the United States. The Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) is a validated measure; however, it has not been widely utilized among low-income patients and may not fully capture financial toxicity in this population. Furthermore, the relationships between financial toxicity, quality of life (QOL), and patient well-being are poorly understood. We describe the experience of financial toxicity among low-income adults receiving cancer care. We hypothesized that higher financial toxicity would be associated with less income and lower quality of life. Qualitative interviews focused on the financial impact of cancer treatment.

This study was conducted at a cancer clinic in Central Texas. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in Fall and Spring 2018, respectively. The quantitative sample (N = 115) was dichotomized by annual income (<$15,000 vs. >$15,000). Outcomes included financial toxicity (COST), quality of life (FACT-G), and patient well-being (PROMIS measures: Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, Pain Interference, and Physical Function). Associations between quality of life, patient well-being, and financial toxicity were evaluated using linear regression. Sequential qualitative interviews were conducted with a subsample of 12 participants.

Patients with <$15k had significantly lower levels of QOL and patient well-being such as depression and anxiety compared to patients with >$15k across multiple measures. A multivariate linear regression found QOL (Β = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.29, p = 0.008) and insurance status (Β = −3.79, 95% CI = −7.42, −0.16, p = 0.04), but not income, were significantly associated with financial toxicity. Three qualitative themes regarding patient's access to cancer care were identified: obtaining healthcare coverage, maintaining financial stability, and receiving social support.

Low-income patients with cancer face unique access barriers and are at risk for forgoing treatment or increased symptom burdens. Comprehensive assessment and financial navigation may improve access to care, symptom management, and reduce strain on social support systems.

Caregivers of patients with primary brain tumor (PBT) describe feeling preoccupied with the inevitability of their loved one's death. However, there are currently no validated instruments to assess death anxiety in caregivers. This study sought to examine (1) the psychometric properties of the Death and Dying Distress Scale (DADDS), adapted for caregivers (DADDS-CG), and (2) the prevalence and correlates of death anxiety in caregivers of patients with PBT.

Caregivers (N = 67) of patients with PBT completed the DADDS-CG, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR-7), and God Locus of Health Control (GLHC). Caregivers’ sociodemographic information and patients’ medical characteristics were also collected. Preliminary examination of the psychometric properties of the DADDS-CG was conducted using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and correlations. The prevalence and risk factors of death anxiety were assessed using frequencies, pair-wise comparisons, and correlations.

Factor analysis of the DADDS-CG revealed a two-factor structure consistent with the original DADDS. The DADDS-CG demonstrated excellent internal consistency, convergent validity with the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and FCR-7, and discriminant validity with the GLHC. Over two-thirds of caregivers reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of death anxiety. Death anxiety was highest in women and caregivers of patients with high-grade PBT.

The DADDS-CG demonstrates sound psychometric properties in caregivers of patients with PBT, who report high levels of death anxiety. Further research is needed to support the measure's value in clinical care and research — both in this population and other caregivers — in order to address this unmet, psychosocial need.

Meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) principles may provide a framework for engaging healthcare professionals in meaning-centered exploration as a novel approach to prevent burnout and enhance wellbeing in healthcare professionals through heightening personal meaning. This case study aimed to teach MCP to masters-trained social workers for use with medical patients. While the primary aim was to teach MCP to masters-trained social workers, this proof-of-concept project and this paper focus on a secondary aim of enhancing meaning and connection in the virtual workplace.

A group of social workers participated in a 7-session MCP pilot from October 13th to November 24th, 2020. After each session, participants were asked to complete an anonymous continuing education evaluation with questions regarding clarity, organization, and relevance of the presentation related to use with their patient populations. Additional open-ended items queried participants for general comments about their experience using MCP to enhance professional fulfillment during COVID-19.

Nine social workers participated in the MCP pilot. Several qualitative themes emerged, including enhanced meaning, communication, connection, and agency in the virtual workplace.

This pilot demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of using an adapted MCP instruction with hospital-based social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate wellbeing. While MCP was originally created to intervene with patients with life-threatening illnesses, the brief, manualized experiential nature of the intervention lends itself to modification with staff for the purpose of enhancing meaning and community in their own lives.

To identify early symptoms and changes in QoL among men with primary localized prostate cancer (PC) who later develop metastases.

From an ongoing prospective study of 3.885 men with localized PC, primarily treated with radiotherapy (RT), a subsample of men developing metastatic PC (mPC) following the first year after the start of RT and that had died during the follow-up (mPC group, n = 107) were matched against men who did not develop metastases (non-mPC group, n = 214). Data were collected using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and PCSS instruments. Non-parametric tests were performed for comparisons at baseline, end of RT, 3 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after RT.

The final sample consists of 317 men (mPC n = 106; non-mPC n = 211) who had completed at least one questionnaire. Initially, symptom levels were generally low and QoL and functioning high in both groups. An increasing difference between the groups was found, where the mPC group gradually deteriorated from the 2-year follow-up. Significant differences were found for several outcomes at 3 and 5 years. In a sensitivity analysis, where metastatic patients were removed from the time-point of verified metastases, most differences did not remain significant. Significant deterioration over time was seen within both groups for some outcomes.

The results indicate that unmet supportive needs occur over time among these men. Worsening QoL or functioning and symptoms may be difficult to recognize when the development is gradual over several years, and with various access to systematic follow-up in late phases. This highlights the need for continuous monitoring of PC patients to detect needs for supportive interventions early and throughout the disease course, also among those with non-metastatic disease who have undergone curatively intended treatment.

Caregivers of adult phase 1 oncology trial patients experience high levels of distress and face barriers to in-person supportive care. The Phase 1 Caregiver LifeLine (P1CaLL) pilot study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and general impact of an individual telephone-based cognitive behavioral stress-management (CBSM) intervention for caregivers of phase I oncology trial patients.

The pilot study involved 4 weekly adapted CBSM sessions followed by participant randomization to 4 weekly cognitive behavioral therapy sessions or metta-meditation sessions. A mixed-methods design used quantitative data from 23 caregivers and qualitative data from 5 caregivers to examine the feasibility and acceptability outcomes. Feasibility was determined using recruitment, retention, and assessment completion rates. Acceptability was assessed with self-reported satisfaction with program content and participation barriers. Baseline to post-intervention changes in caregiver distress and other psychosocial outcomes were assessed for the 8-session intervention.

The enrollment rate was 45.3%, which demonstrated limited feasibility based on an a priori criterion enrollment rate of 50%. Participants completed an average of 4.9 sessions, with 9/25 (36%) completing all sessions and an 84% assessment completion rate. Intervention acceptability was high, and participants found the sessions helpful in managing stress related to the phase 1 oncology trial patient experience. Participants showed reductions in worry and isolation and stress.

The P1CaLL study demonstrated adequate acceptability and limited feasibility and provided data on the general impact of the intervention on caregiver distress and other psychosocial outcomes. Caregivers of phase 1 oncology trial patients would benefit from supportive care services; a telephone-based intervention may have more utilization and thus make a larger impact.

This study investigated the possible correlation between emotional distress linked to dignity and dysfunctional temporal orientations in the oncological context.

We conducted an exploratory study between December 2020 and February 2021, referring to a sample of 107 patients in active treatment for solid tumors belonging to the Oncology Department of the Fondazione Poliambulanza (Brescia, Italy). We administered two self-report questionnaires: the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI-IT) (Italian version, Grassi L, Costantini A, Caruso R, et al. (2017) Dignity and psychosocial-related variables in advanced and nonadvanced cancer patients by using the patient dignity inventory-Italian version. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 53(2), 279–287), as a measure of perceived level of dignity, and the Italian version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory scale (ZTPI) (Zimbardo PG and Boyd JN (2009) Il paradosso del tempo. La nuova psicologia del tempo che cambierà la tua vita. Milano: Mondadori), as a measure of the experiential dimensions of time, such as past, present, and future.

From the PDI-IT emerged that our sample reported high levels of physical and psychological distress. Furthermore, we founded higher distress in patients under 55 years (p = 0.04) and lower distress in retired patients (p = 0.01). The ZTPI showed in our patients prevailing orientations to the past-positive (39.3%) and the future (37.4%). We noticed a gender difference: men were mainly oriented to the future while women to the past-positive. Moreover, married subjects reported a prevalent orientation to past-positive and the future. Finally, data analysis found moderate positive correlation between the “Negative Past” dimension of ZTPI and high levels of physical (r = 0.203, p = 0.03) and psychological distress (r = 236, p = 0.01).

In our experience in oncology, dignity and time perspective play a central role as indicators of the quality of care. Our study shows the importance of a treatment path that integrates the constructs of Dignity and Time Perspective to favor a better psychological adaptation.

The aim is to understand the experiences and views of oncology nurses about the unmet care needs of older cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Nurses play the key role in evaluating and determining the needs of this special group.

A phenomenological descriptive qualitative study with convenience sampling was used. Participants were referred by the Turkish Oncology Nursing Society. The study participants were 12 nurses aged 34–53 years, with oncology experience between 5 and 27 years. The data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim with concurrent analyses and data collection. Thematic content analysis was used to determine common domains.

The study data were categorized into 3 contexts, 12 themes, and 37 subthemes. The first context, “unmet needs”, includes physical care, psychological care, and social care themes. The second context, “barriers to meeting those needs”, comprises the theme of patient characteristics, attitude of family, attitude of the nurses/healthcare team, health system, and culture. The last context is “suggestions for meeting needs”. Nurses play an important role in identifying and meeting unmet psychosocial needs.

The study indicated that older cancer patients had problems in identifying, expressing, and making demands for their needs and that their culture contributed to this situation. Nurses serving in the outpatient chemotherapy units should conduct a holistic assessment of older cancer patients, be aware that these patients may not be able to express their needs, be more sensitive toward them, and ensure that the voice of the older patients is heard.

To determine sociodemographics and caregiver burdens associated with overnight hospitalization, hospice utilization, and hospitalization frequency among persons with dementia (PWD).

Cross-sectional analysis of PWD (n = 899) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study linked to the National Study of Caregiving. Logistic and proportional odds regression determined the effects of caregiver burdens on overnight hospitalization, hospice use, and hospitalization frequency. Differences between PWD alive not-alive groups were compared on overnight hospitalization and frequency.

Alive PWD (n = 804) were 2.36 times more likely to have an overnight hospital stay (p = 0.004) and 1.96 times more likely to have multiple hospitalizations when caregivers found it physically difficult to provide care (p = 0.011). Decedents aged 65–74 (n = 95) were 4.55 times more likely to experience overnight hospitalizations than 85+, hospitalizations were more frequent (odds ratio [OR] = 4.84), and there was a significant difference between PWD alive/not alive groups (p = 0.035). Decedents were 5.60 times more likely to experience an overnight hospitalization when their caregivers had financial difficulty, hospitalizations were more frequent when caregivers had too much to handle (OR = 8.44) and/or no time for themselves (OR = 10.67). When caregivers had no time for themselves, a significant difference between alive/not alive groups (p = 0.018) was detected in hospitalization frequency. PWD whose caregivers had emotional difficulty helping were 5.89 times more likely to utilize hospice than caregivers who did not report emotional difficulty.

Care transitions among PWD at the end of life are impacted by the circumstances and experiences of their caregivers. Subjective caregiver burdens represent potentially modifiable risks for undesired care transitions and opportunities for promoting hospice use. Future work is warranted to identify and address these issues as they occur.