In the domain of palliative and end-of-life care, psychological support is a vital ingredient for quality healthcare provision. Patients facing advanced illness often grapple with emotional and existential issues such as fear, sadness, anxiety, and the distress associated with loss of function or impending death. These challenges profoundly affect not only the patients but also their families and caregivers, especially during critical activities like breaking bad news or decision-making under pressure. Despite its importance, psychological support frequently remains sidelined in current practices. Recent studies have indicated the potential of brief, evidence-based interventions to improve communication and enhance psychological well-being in palliative care. Innovative tools like Dignity Therapy and structured conversations about patient values have shown promising results. Nevertheless, significant gaps still exist, underscoring the imperative for further investigation and integration in psychologically supportive palliative practices.
This Research Topic aims to investigate practical and evidence-based strategies to embed psychological care within routine palliative care settings. The primary goals include exploring practical experiences, assessing the impact of psychological interventions, and encouraging the development of compassionate care practices that are both humanized and person-centered. Key questions will address the challenges healthcare professionals encounter in providing psychological support and the barriers to integrating such interventions in clinical environments. By examining these elements, this Research Topic aims to inspire feasible and patient-centric solutions that underscore psychological suffering as an intrinsic component of care.
The Scope of this Research Topic outlines its boundaries within the context of psychological care in palliative settings, focusing primarily on actionable and evidence-supported approaches. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
-Training and education for healthcare professionals to enhance psychological care
-Effective communication strategies in palliative care;
-Evidence-based interventions such as Dignity Therapy and value-based conversations;
-Shared Decision-Making in Palliative Care: Aligning Treatment with Patient Values;
-Programs to support healthcare professionals' emotional well-being;
-The influence of cultural and spiritual beliefs on psychological care;
-Contributions of family caregivers to emotional support;
-Technological innovations facilitating psychological care;
-Ethical challenges in addressing psychological suffering;
-Interdisciplinary collaboration for delivering holistic care;
-Clinical trials and intervention studies evaluating psychological support approaches;
-Strategies to overcome barriers to integrating psychological care into practice.
The Research Topic invites various types of articles, including practical strategies, clinical experiences, qualitative and quantitative studies, and conceptual reflections that collectively aim at enhancing palliative care through integrated psychological support.
In the domain of palliative and end-of-life care, psychological support is a vital ingredient for quality healthcare provision. Patients facing advanced illness often grapple with emotional and existential issues such as fear, sadness, anxiety, and the distress associated with loss of function or impending death. These challenges profoundly affect not only the patients but also their families and caregivers, especially during critical activities like breaking bad news or decision-making under pressure. Despite its importance, psychological support frequently remains sidelined in current practices. Recent studies have indicated the potential of brief, evidence-based interventions to improve communication and enhance psychological well-being in palliative care. Innovative tools like Dignity Therapy and structured conversations about patient values have shown promising results. Nevertheless, significant gaps still exist, underscoring the imperative for further investigation and integration in psychologically supportive palliative practices.
This Research Topic aims to investigate practical and evidence-based strategies to embed psychological care within routine palliative care settings. The primary goals include exploring practical experiences, assessing the impact of psychological interventions, and encouraging the development of compassionate care practices that are both humanized and person-centered. Key questions will address the challenges healthcare professionals encounter in providing psychological support and the barriers to integrating such interventions in clinical environments. By examining these elements, this Research Topic aims to inspire feasible and patient-centric solutions that underscore psychological suffering as an intrinsic component of care.
The Scope of this Research Topic outlines its boundaries within the context of psychological care in palliative settings, focusing primarily on actionable and evidence-supported approaches. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
-Training and education for healthcare professionals to enhance psychological care
-Effective communication strategies in palliative care;
-Evidence-based interventions such as Dignity Therapy and value-based conversations;
-Shared Decision-Making in Palliative Care: Aligning Treatment with Patient Values;
-Programs to support healthcare professionals' emotional well-being;
-The influence of cultural and spiritual beliefs on psychological care;
-Contributions of family caregivers to emotional support;
-Technological innovations facilitating psychological care;
-Ethical challenges in addressing psychological suffering;
-Interdisciplinary collaboration for delivering holistic care;
-Clinical trials and intervention studies evaluating psychological support approaches;
-Strategies to overcome barriers to integrating psychological care into practice.
The Research Topic invites various types of articles, including practical strategies, clinical experiences, qualitative and quantitative studies, and conceptual reflections that collectively aim at enhancing palliative care through integrated psychological support.