Academic Palliative Care Research in Portugal: Are We on the Right Track?

Alexandra Pereira,Amélia Ferreira,José Martins

doi:10.3390/healthcare6030097

Alexandra Pereira, Amélia Ferreira + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6030097

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Abstract

Background: The narrow link between practice, education, and research is essential to palliative care development. In Portugal, academic postgraduate publications are the main booster for palliative care research. Methods: This is a bibliometric study that aims to identify Portuguese palliative care postgraduate academic work published in electronic academic repositories between 2000 and 2015. Results: 488 publications were identified. The number of publications has increased, especially in the last five years. The most frequently used method was quantitative, healthcare professionals were the most studied participants, and psychological and psychiatric aspects of care comprised the most current theme. Practice-based priorities are financial costs and benefits of palliative care, awareness and understanding of palliative care, underserved populations, best practices, communication, and palliative care in nonhospital settings. Conclusion: The number of palliative care postgraduate academic publications has increased in Portugal in the past few years. There is academic production in the eight domains of quality palliative care and on the three levels of recommendation for practice-based research priorities. The major research gaps in Portugal are at the system and societal context levels.

Highlights

Changing demographic trends, such as an ageing population and increased life expectancy, in addition to medical and scientific advances accentuate the need to develop, evaluate, and research palliative care [1,2].Palliative care is an approach for addressing the needs of individuals with life-threatening illnesses from a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective [3]
Palliative care research has evolved from care targeting patients with cancer to a care approach relevant for patients with diverse life-limiting conditions [5], the scope of palliative care research is wider
Palliative care research has a fundamental role in informing evidence-based clinical practice, service development, education, and policy, and it is needed to improve service delivery and optimise patients’ quality of life [7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Changing demographic trends, such as an ageing population and increased life expectancy, in addition to medical and scientific advances accentuate the need to develop, evaluate, and research palliative care [1,2]. Palliative care is an approach for addressing the needs of individuals with life-threatening illnesses from a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective [3]. Palliative care research has a fundamental role in informing evidence-based clinical practice, service development, education, and policy, and it is needed to improve service delivery and optimise patients’ quality of life [7,8]. In Portugal, academic postgraduate publications are the main booster for palliative care research. The number of publications has increased, especially in the last five years. Conclusion: The number of palliative care postgraduate academic publications has increased in Portugal in the past few years

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