The following lists palliative care research primarily conducted by Australian research groups. The list is based on application of the CareSearch search filter for palliative care to identify articles held within the PubMed database and corresponding to the strongest evidence. Articles have been selected based on relevance and new articles are added on a weekly basis.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, the aim is to keep the community informed by providing a snapshot of recent research findings and planned studies in the Australian setting.
Sikhosana N, Fernandez R, Moxham L.
Background: Individuals facing life-limiting illnesses undergo a profound transformation that encompasses significant physiological changes, in the level of medical care received, and a shift in overall goals of care. This transformation is irreversible and involuntary. However, individuals living with mental health conditions and life-limiting illnesses are not able to go through transformation due to diagnostic overshadowing. Previous research has examined the transformations experienced by caregivers in the context of spinal cord injuries, as well as by professional caregivers in palliative care, highlighting the complexities of their roles and the emotional adjustments they undergo. However, a notable gap in the literature exists regarding the transformation of individuals themselves who are confronting life-limiting illnesses.
Objectives: This study explored the physical and psychological transformations of individuals living with a Life-Limiting Illness, focusing on how they interpret and understand these changes.
Design: To explore this transformation, this study employed an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological design, guided by an interpretivist-constructionist theoretical framework.
Methods: Fourteen qualitative interviews were conducted both face-to-face and via Zoom.
Results: This study reveals that the illness trajectory of individuals living with a life-limiting condition consists of three stages, which can be metaphorically described as follows: (1) Chrysalis formation: This stage represents the muted voice, where the experiences of individuals with life-limiting illnesses are expressed and supported through the medical interventions provided by healthcare professionals. (2) Breakdown of the chrysalis: This stage is characterised by unsuccessful medical interventions and subsequent physical deterioration of the individual's health. (3) Emerging from the chrysalis: In this final stage, the individual forms a new identity and finds new meaning in life as a result of living with a life-limiting illness.
Conclusion: The voice of persons with life-limiting illness is not stagnant; it undergoes various transformations at each stage of the illness trajectory. An understanding of this transformation process, along with the new identities that emerge at each stage, is crucial for designing and delivering palliative care services that effectively and timeously address the unique physical, emotional, and psychological challenges individuals encounter during each stage of their transformative journey.
Brown J, Martin-Robins D, Cooper A.
Background: Little is known about the palliative care needs of people living with a mental illness and a life-limiting illness.
Aims: To gain an understanding of palliative care need and service utilization in adult inpatients with mental health issues across a metropolitan area health service in Perth, Western Australia.
Methods: Data were collected at four sites from patient medical records. Adult patients who were admitted at study sites' mental health units were eligible for inclusion.
Results: In total, 192 patient records were reviewed. Almost one-third of patients (32%, n = 61) had at least one condition listed in the Gold Standards Framework, and 30% (n = 18) of these could have potentially benefited from palliative care. There was evidence of one patient receiving some form of palliative care.
Conclusions: In this cohort, there was unmet need for palliative care, especially among older adults. The majority of patients with potential palliative care needs were admitted to older adult mental health wards. There are missed opportunities to provide holistic care to adult inpatients with mental health issues experiencing life-limiting conditions, likely to result in poorer symptom control and reduced quality of life. Approaches to identify and respond to palliative care needs in mental health settings need to be adopted.
Lim CED, Sanchez C, Chen H.
Introduction: Palliative care addresses the comprehensive needs of advanced-stage cancer patients, enhancing their quality of life. However, due to cultural and linguistic differences, Chinese Australians encounter substantial barriers to accessing these services.
Aims: This study aimed to investigate the barriers preventing Chinese Australians from accessing palliative care services.
Methods: Surveys and interviews were conducted with Chinese Australian cancer patients and their caregivers to assess their awareness, understanding, and challenges related to palliative care.
Results: Among 136 surveyed and eight interviewed participants, a significant lack of awareness and numerous misconceptions about palliative care were evident, with language as the primary barrier despite strong interest in such services.
Discussion: The results indicate a need to improve the awareness and accessibility of palliative care for the Chinese Australian community. Local health authorities and medical associations should collaborate in developing and disseminating culturally and linguistically appropriate information to increase service uptake among ethnic groups in Australia.
Luc I, Dadich A, Laurence C.
Background: As in many countries, Australians are living longer and experience greater rates of chronic conditions. This can require greater use of palliative care services. However, there is limited research on how many people would benefit from palliative care. The aim of this study is to estimate the current and future need for palliative care services in Australia and within geographical regions.
Methods: Using national mortality data and population projections, the study used two methods to estimate the observed (2011 to 2022) palliative care need in Australia by age, sex, and geographical area. These were: 75% of all deaths would require palliative care; and a diagnostic based approach on main underlying cause of death. These methods were used to estimate the future need for palliative care, applying the proportion of palliative deaths to the Australian Bureau of Statistics projected deaths to 2042 using 75%, the 2022 proportion of diagnostic-based deaths, and the mean annual change in proportion of these deaths from 2011 to 2022. Analyses were also performed across sex, age group, geographical areas and disease group to identify areas of increasing palliative care need.
Results: The two methods demonstrated a growing need for palliative care in the observed and projected period. From 2011 to 2022, there was an 18 to 30% increase in the number of people who needed palliative care. From 2023 to 2042, there will be an increase of 37 to 65% in the number of people needing palliative care. People aged over 85 years, as well as people living with cancer and dementia are expected to drive the future need for palliative care. The need for palliative care in regional and remote areas is greater than that in the major cities.
Conclusion: Current workforce trends in Australia are unlikely to meet the growing need for palliative care. Future palliative care services must be developed in line with these findings and further research is required ensure an adequate supply of palliative care to match the expected demand.
Riggs DW, Patlamazoglou L, Simmonds JG, Snell T.
Abstract: All too often, humans who experience the death of a partner are directed towards other humans for support, ignoring the important role that animal companions play in the lives of many humans. For lesbians and gay men specifically - whose grief may be disenfranchised - animal companions may play a particularly important role. This paper reports on a secondary analysis of interviews with 10 Australian lesbians or gay men who had lost a partner due to non-HIV related issues. Six of the participants spoke impromptu about the importance of animal companions following the death of a partner. Thematic analysis resulted in the development of three themes: (1) animals provide comfort and company, (2) animals serve as a reminder of partners, and (3) animals give people a reason to go on. The paper concludes by considering the importance of speaking about animals in the context of research and practice related to human bereavement.
Last updated 30 April 2024