Compassionate Cities are a novel approach to health-promotive palliative care that uses a population-based approach to promote health and encourage its citizens to act with confidence to help others during death, dying, or bereavement. This study aimed to provide a critical account of how the leaders of a Compassionate City adopted the initiative and how they experienced its development and implementation.

An interpretative qualitative case study was conducted in a newly established Compassionate City in the UK. Data was collected using in-depth interviews, documentary analysis, and non-participatory observations. Reflective thematic analysis was used to analyze the contents of the multiple resources.

Five observations, 4 document analyses, and 11 interviews with members of the Compassionate City steering committee were conducted. We identified 4 themes: right model, right people, in the right place, at the right time; building a network of organizations and individuals; building sustainable community capacity to deal with grief, loss, and bereavement; and, embedding and sustaining the Compassionate City initiative. The study also found that cross-cutting factors such as leadership, visibility of work, evaluation, communication, and funding influenced and shaped the key themes when developing and implementing the Compassionate City.

This study provides broad insight into the key actions taken by the leaders of a Compassionate City aiming to improve the end-of-life experience of its citizens. We highlight the many challenges and complexities faced by the leaders when translating the concepts of Compassionate Cities into practice and identify key elements to consider for the successful implementation of future initiatives.

Stigma in lung cancer patients may be associated with various negative outcomes such as increased psychosocial symptoms, severity of physical symptoms, and may act as a barrier to medical help-seeking behavior. The Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale (CLCSS) is one of the most widely used instruments for assessing health-related stigma in lung cancer patients.

To determine the psychometric properties of the CLCSS in a Mexican sample of lung cancer patients.

A non-experimental, instrumental design was employed, using non-probabilistic sampling based on availability. The sample included 265 lung cancer patients. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess construct validity, and Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s Omega were used for internal consistency and test-retest reliability, respectively, through Pearson correlation coefficient.

The 17-item version yielded a model with 4 factors (stigma and shame, social isolation, discrimination, and smoking) explaining 50.74% of the variance, with adequate values of internal consistency and test-retest reliability.

The Mexican version of the CLCSS is culturally appropriate, brief, psychometrically valid, and reliable for assessing health-related stigma in Mexican lung cancer patients.

Although pediatric cancer often causes significant stress for families, most childhood cancer survivors are resilient and do not exhibit severe or lasting psychopathology. Research demonstrates some survivors may report benefit-finding or positive outcomes following this stressful life event. However, considerably less research has included families of children who are unlikely to survive their illness. Thus, this study investigated benefit-finding among parents and their children with advanced cancer, as well as associated demographic and medical factors.

Families (N = 72) of children with advanced cancer (ages 5–25) were recruited from a large pediatric hospital. Advanced cancer was defined as relapsed or refractory disease, an estimated prognosis of <60%, or referral to end-of-life care. Participants completed a demographic survey and the Benefit Finding Scale at enrollment.

Children, mothers, and fathers reported moderate to high benefit-finding scores. Correlations between family members were weak and non-significant. Children reported significantly higher benefit-finding than fathers. Demographic and medical factors were not associated with benefit-finding in children, mothers, or fathers.

Families of children with advanced cancer reported moderate to high benefit-finding regardless of background or medical factors. Children identified benefits of their cancer experience independent of the experiences of their mothers and fathers. Larger studies should continue to examine factors associated with positive and negative outcomes in the context of childhood cancer to inform interventions.

Previous studies have shown that patients who are readmitted to the hospital from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) have a higher mortality rate. The objective of this study is to determine factors associated with high mortality rate for older adults who require hospital readmission while on presumed short stay in SNF to trigger a goals-of-care discussion.

Retrospective study of 847 patients aged 65 and above who were discharged from 1 large urban academic medical center to multiple SNF in 2019.

Charts of 847 patients admitted to SNF after an acute hospital stay were reviewed; their overall 1-year mortality rate was 28.3%. The 1-year mortality rate among individuals readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF was 50%, whereas for those who did not require readmission, the rate was 22%. For the most common diagnostic categories of nervous system, and musculoskeletal, patients with readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF had a roughly threefold higher 1-year mortality rate. Worse frailty score on hospital readmission, poor nutrition, and weight loss were the most impactful individual factors carrying a higher degree of mortality of up to 83%.

Hospital discharge to SNF and readmission from SNF within 30 days, further decline in functional status, and malnutrition characterize high-risk groups that should trigger care preference and prognostic discussions with patients as these events may be markers of vulnerability and are associated with high 1-year mortality rates.

Previous studies have shown that nurses’ spiritual care competence is related to characteristics of personal spirituality, training adequacy, and comfort, confidence, and frequency of provision of spiritual care. However, these studies assumed that all participants understood spiritual care in the same way, and used self-ratings of spiritual care competence, which are problematic. Our previous study found that spiritual care was understood in 4 qualitatively different ways that can be arranged in order of competence. This study aimed to re-examine the relationships between nurse characteristics and spiritual care competence, using spiritual care understanding as a proxy for competence.

Data was collected from a convenience sample of nurses who completed an anonymous, online survey. The survey provided qualitative data about what spiritual care means for them. The survey also provided quantitative data regarding nurse characteristics. This study created sub-groups of nurses based on their understanding of spiritual care, and used the quantitative data to construct a profile of nurse characteristics for each sub-group. Kruskal–Wallis statistical tests determined whether nurse characteristics differed across the 4 sub-groups.

Spiritual care competence was not related to confidence or comfort in providing spiritual care. Relationships with spirituality, training adequacy, and frequency of provision of spiritual care were not linear; i.e., higher competence did not always correspond with higher scores of these characteristics.

The results raise concerns about the construct validity of using comfort and confidence as estimates of spiritual care competence. That the relationships between competence and spirituality, training adequacy, and frequency of spiritual care provision was not as linear as portrayed in extant literature, suggests that outcomes of training may depend on the type of spiritual care understanding subscribed to by training participants. The findings offer insights about how nurses could achieve high levels of spiritual care performance.

Mandated by the Affordable Care Act of 2010, hospices were required to provide information regarding the Hospice Quality Reporting Program, with a reduced reimbursement tied to hospices if they fail to submit data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between hospice organizational and community factors and quality of hospice care as measured by patient experience through Hospice Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS®) survey.

We used secondary data from Hospice Compare, Healthcare Cost Report Information System Dataset, Rural–urban commuting area codes, and the American Community Survey to examine the relationship between hospice patient/family experience and hospice organizational-level and community-level factors for the period 2017–2020. The unit of analysis was hospice-year observations.

For-profit and chain-affiliated hospices were negatively associated with CAHPS® scores. Organizational longevity and Medicare payer mix were positively associated with CAHPS® scores. Hospice community factors including competition, per capita income, and the racial/ethnic minorities’ percentage were negatively associated with CAHPS® scores.

Hospice organizational and community factors were related to hospice quality of care. Interventions that account for organizational and community factors may be needed to improve patient/family experience of hospice care.

Care of the dying is an essential part of holistic cancer nursing. Improving nurses’ attitudes and behaviors regarding care of the dying is one of the critical factors in increasing the quality of nursing service. This study aims to examine the impact of an educational program based on the CARES tool on nurses’ attitudes and behaviors toward care of the dying.

A quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention measures was conducted. A total of 222 oncology nurses from 14 hospitals in Beijing, China, were enrolled using a convenient sampling method. This online educational course developed based on the CARES framework comprised 7 modules and 10 sessions. Each session was carried out twice a week over 30–60 min. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Frommelt Attitude Towards Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD) and the Nurses’ Practice Behavior Toward Care of the Dying Questionnaire (NPBTCOD). Reassessment of attitudes and behaviors was conducted when completed the learning and 6 months after the learning, respectively. The sociodemographic characteristics of the nurses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and differences in attitudes and behaviors were reported and compared by the paired t-test.

All the 222 oncology nurses completed educational courses, and 218 nurses (98.20%) completed the pre- and post-attitudes evaluation and 213 (95.9%) nurses completed the pre- and post-behaviors evaluation. The mean (SD) FATCOD score before and after the educational program was 108.83 (12.07) versus 115.09 (14.91), respectively (t = −8.546, p ≥ 0.001). The mean (SD) NPBTCOD score before and after the educational program was 69.14 (17.56) versus 73.40 (18.96), respectively (t = −3.231, p = 0.001).

This educational intervention was found to be an effective method for improving oncology nurses’ attitudes and behaviors toward caring for dying patients.

Older adults often have a heightened awareness of death due to personal losses. In many low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, conversation about end-of-life issues and advanced care planning (ACP) among older adults is gradually emerging. Our study explored older adults’ knowledge and perceptions towards advanced directives and end-of-life issues in a geriatric care setting in Nigeria.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults (aged ≥60 years) in a geriatric outpatient clinic. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire, tested at a significance level set at alpha 0.05.

The study included 204 participants with a mean age of 71.3 ± 7.2 years, predominantly female (67.2%). Few of the participants have heard about end of life (20.1%), living will (19.1%), power of attorney (19.6%), and ACP (25.9%). About 29.9% of the respondents considered having a living will, of which about 34.4% have written one. Only 23 (11.3%) would consider discussing ACP in the future, 32 (15.7%) would discuss place of care, and 30 (14.7%) place of death. Preparedness for end of life and knowledge of ACP was higher among males, those with formal education, and those with good self-rated health (p < 0.05).

The study highlighted gap in awareness and engagement in ACP among older adults in a country like Nigeria. This lack of knowledge can lead to inadequate end-of-life care and unpreparedness for critical health decisions for older adults in Africa. Thus, improving awareness and understanding of ACP can empower older adults, ensuring their end-of-life preferences are respected, enhancing the quality of care, and reducing the emotional and financial burden on families.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment can result in a significant psychological burden. This study sought to investigate the prevalence of major depression, associated treatments, and suicidal ideation in cancer survivors compared to a non-cancer cohort.

This is a retrospective, population-based study using survey responses from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health collected from January 2015 to December 2019. Survey data sets were queried for all respondents who provided a cancer history. Respondents with a reported history of cancer (“cancer survivors”) were further stratified by whether they reported a “recent” cancer diagnosis within the past 12 months. Survey responses were evaluated for recent diagnoses of and treatments for major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation.

Among the 212,411 survey respondents identified, 7,635 (3.6%) reported a cancer history, with 1,486 (0.7%) reporting a recent cancer history. There were no differences in prevalence of major depression between cancer survivors and participants without cancer (9.3% vs 9.2%, p = 0.762), though the prevalence was slightly higher among recent cancer survivors (10.0% vs 9.2%, p = 0.259). Among respondents diagnosed with major depression, cancer survivors were significantly more likely to receive treatment for depression (78.6% vs 60.3%, p < 0.001). Suicidal ideation was significantly lower among cancer survivors (5.1% vs 6.2%, p < 0.001) including recent survivors (5.0% vs 6.2%, p < 0.001).

There was no overall difference in the prevalence of major depression between cancer survivors and respondents without cancer. Survivors with major depression were more likely to receive treatments. Prevalence of major depression was higher in recent cancer survivors.

The study used a methodological design to adapt a Turkish translation and validate the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators scale.

The sample of the study consisted of 500 nursing students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyze the construct and internal validiy. The values of average variance explained were analyzed for convergent validity. Tukey’s test of additivity examined the additivity, and Hotelling’s T2 test examined the mean difference between items. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were ensured for reliability. Test and retest scores were compared by applying the paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon test, and the fit was analyzed through the intra-class correlation coefficient.

The Turkish version of the scale consisted of 34 items and 8 subscales. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the overall scale was 0.954. The scale was highly reliable and displayed psychometric solid properties.

It has been determined that the Turkish version of the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators scale is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand measurement tool with a broad perspective that can be safely applied to future nurse candidate students. The scale has been evaluated as a reliable measurement tool that can provide cross-cultural measurement.

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) emerge as one of the areas where palliative care is most needed. This study was conducted to examine the attitudes and compassion fatigue levels of NICUs nurses working in Şanlıurfa, where the fertility rate and infant mortality are highest in Turkey, toward palliative care.

This study was conducted in descriptive type.

The research was carried out with 204 (85%) nurses who agreed to participate in the research between October 2022 and February 2023, out of 240 neonatal intensive care nurses working in the NICU of 2 training and research hospitals and a university hospital in Şanlıurfa. The data of the study were collected using an Introductory Information Form, the Neonatal Palliative Care Attitude Scale, and the Compassion Fatigue Short Scale.

Nurses; compassion fatigue scale mean score was 61.46 ± 26.64, palliative care scale mean score was 3.13 ± 0.74 for organization subdimension, 2.85 ± 0.73 for resources subdimension, and 3.08 ± 0.89 for clinician subdimension. In the results of the study, 8 barriers (parents do not participate in decisions, there is not enough staff, lack of time to spend with the family, lack of policies/rules in institutions for palliative care, lack of education and communication, society’s beliefs, nurses’ personal attitudes toward death, and lack of appreciation of past experiences with palliative care) and 6 facilitators (Nurses’ ability to express their perceptions, views and beliefs about palliative care, to participate and support palliative care, to inform parents, to provide counseling, adequate physical conditions) for palliative care were determined.

While it was determined that nurses had a slightly below moderate level of compassion fatigue and a close attitude toward organization and resources toward palliative care, it was determined that ethical conflict toward palliative care was high in clinical subdimension scores.

It is recommended that all nurses working in the NICU obtain certificates, improvements in resources such as personnel and equipment, improvements in the shift work system and development of policies/rules in institutions for palliative care.

The rising incidence of cancer has led to an increased number of adult children impacted by parental cancer. Previous research primarily focused on younger individuals, leaving a gap in understanding the experiences of adult children aged 20–35.

To examine a model that integrates the interrelationships among the disease’s characteristics (i.e., disease stage), illness representations, coping strategies, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in young adults with parents diagnosed with cancer. In addition, we examined indirect relationships involving illness representations as independent variables, coping strategies as mediators, and PTG as the outcome variable.

The rising incidence of cancer has led to an increased number of adult children impacted by parental cancer. Previous research primarily focused on younger individuals, leaving a gap in understanding the experiences of adult children aged 20–35. This study examines a model that integrates the interrelationships among the disease’s characteristics (i.e., disease stage), illness representations, coping strategies, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in young adults with parents diagnosed with cancer. In addition, we examined indirect relationships involving illness representations as independent variables, coping strategies as mediators, and PTG as the outcome variable.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 109 adult children (ages 20–35) of cancer patients. Data were collected using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the COPE questionnaire. Path analysis was performed to test the study’s hypotheses.

The findings revealed that illness representations and coping strategies accounted for significant variance in PTG. Higher perceived severity of the parent’s illness was associated with greater use of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, which were linked to higher PTG. Lower perceived control over the illness was associated with less use of problem-focused coping and subsequently lower PTG.

This study underscores the importance of subjective perceptions and coping strategies in fostering PTG among young adults with parents diagnosed with cancer. The findings highlight the need for tailored psychosocial interventions to enhance adaptive illness representations and effective coping strategies, promoting resilience and growth in this unique demographic.

This study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a behavioral activation (BA) program for the bereaved of cancer patients toward reducing depressive symptoms.

The BA program for the bereaved was a partially modified version for cancer patients. This program encompassed a preinterview and seven 50-minute sessions every 1–2 weeks, using worksheets, with homework assignments each day. To examine feasibility, the completion rates of intervention and 3 months of follow-up were examined. To examine the preliminary effectiveness, psychological symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; primary outcome) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) for depression and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. These were evaluated 3 times: before, immediately after, and 3-month post-intervention. Non-parametric tests were used for comparison of scores at 3 time points and calculation of effect size.

Of the 42 bereaved who were contacted, 21 were eligible and 20 were participated, while 19 and 18 were in the completed intervention and completed 3-month post-intervention categories (intervention completion rate was 95% and follow-up completion rate was 90%). PHQ-9, BDI-II, and GAD-7 showed significant reductions immediately and 3 months after the intervention compared to pre-intervention, and the effect sizes were all large after 3 months, although they were less than immediately after (PHQ-9: 0.89, 0.71; BDI-II: 0.88, 0.67; GAD-7: 0.57, 0.53).

This study indicated that the BA program for the bereaved of cancer patients was feasible and effective vis-à-vis reducing depressive symptoms.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused concern in the community, especially in patients. Spirituality, hopelessness, and quality of life have an impact on the management of the process in cancer patients during these crisis periods. To investigate COVID-19 anxiety’s mediating role in hopelessness’ relationships with the quality of life and spiritual well-being among cancer patients.

This study used a cross-sectional design to collect data from cancer patients using self-administered questionnaires. The study recruited 176 cancer patients receiving treatment at a university hospital. The participants completed measures of spiritual well-being, COVID-19 anxiety, hopelessness, and quality of life. Following preliminary analyses, a mediation model was analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, with the bootstrap method applied (model 4).

The results showed that spiritual well-being was negatively associated with COVID-19 anxiety and hopelessness, and positively associated with the quality of life. COVID-19 anxiety was associated positively with hopelessness, and negatively with the quality of life. Moreover, COVID-19 anxiety mediated the relationship between hopelessness, spiritual well-being, and quality of life.

This study provides evidence for COVID-19 anxiety’s mediating role in the relationship between spiritual well-being and quality of life and hopelessness among cancer patients. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing COVID-19 anxiety may be effective in reducing hopelessness among cancer patients, by promoting higher levels of spiritual well-being and improving quality of life.

This methodological study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Information Concealment Scale for Caregivers of palliative care patients.

The study was conducted between January and June 2023 with 155 caregivers who cared for patients hospitalized in the palliative care units of 2 hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed for validity analysis. Cronbach’s α, item-total correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Pearson correlation analysis were used for reliability analysis.

Of the participants, 54.2% were female and 69% were married. The mean age was 37.96 ± 12.25 years. According to the exploratory factor analysis, the scale consisted of 3 subscales and 15 items. The first subscale of the scale was expressed as “misrepresentation of the disease’; the second subscale was defined as “concealment of information”; the third subscale was defined as “misrepresentation of the real situation.” As a result of the modifications made in confirmatory factor analysis, the goodness-of-fit values were as follows: CMIN/DF(X2/Sd) = 175.16/815 = 2.16; GFI = 0.88; CFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.079; RMR = .070; NFI = 0.90. The Cronbach’s α values of the subscale were between 0.79 and 0.87. ICC values were between 0.90 and 0.95 at a confidence interval of 95%. A positive correlation was determined between the subscales.

It was determined that the Turkish version of the Information Concealment Scale was a valid and reliable tool for caregivers.

To explore patients’ awareness levels of palliative care (PC) and how this awareness shapes their preferences regarding the timing and approach for discussing it.

The study, conducted at a prominent institution specializing in oncology care, enrolled women aged 18–75 years who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Patients completed guiding questions: Do you know what PC is?, When is the most appropriate time and the most appropriate way to discuss PC?. The interviews were conducted exclusively via video call and were recorded, transcribed, and then deleted.

The study involved 61 participants, averaging 49 years old. Almost half (47.5%) had completed high school. Qualitative data analysis revealed 9 thematic categories. Regarding the first question, 2 divergent categories emerged: care for life and threatening treatment. For the second question, opinions diverged into 4 categories: At an early stage, mid-course of the disease, as late as possible, and no time at all. For the third question, 3 categories emerged: communication and support, care setting and environment, and improving the PC experience.

This study reveals diverse perspectives on patients’ awareness and preferences for discussing PC, challenging the misconception that it’s only for end-of-life (EOL) situations. Comprehending PC influences when and how patients discuss it. If tied solely to EOL scenarios, discussions may be delayed. Conversely, understanding its role in enhancing advance support encourages earlier conversations. Limited awareness might delay talks, while informed patients actively contribute to shared decision-making. Some patients prefered early involvement, others find mid-treatment discussions stress-relieving. Community support, quiet environments, and accessible resources, underscoring the importance of a calm, empathetic approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding its role in advance support and providing valuable implications for enhancing patient care practices, theories, and policies.

While caring for seriously ill children is a rewarding experience, pediatric healthcare providers may experience sadness and emotional distress when their patient dies. These feelings, particularly when not addressed, can lead to negative health and occupational outcomes. Remembrance practices can provide a safe space for staff to process their grief. This study explored pediatric healthcare providers’ perceptions of an annual Pediatric Remembrance Ceremony (PRC) and a quarterly program, Good Grief and Chocolate at Noon (GGCN), to learn what components of the programs were considered meaningful and the personal impact on those who attended. The programs pivoted to a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the study also assessed providers’ perspectives of attending the programs virtually.

A 19 multiple choice survey instrument was designed, reviewed, piloted, revised, and re-piloted by an interdisciplinary bereavement committee prior to administration. The survey included 2 open-ended questions, inviting additional insights into personal impact and future directions for remembrance programs. The survey was administered on an encrypted online platform.

Components of the PRC respondents most valued included the opportunity for staff to choose a name of a patient they cared for and to light a candle for that patient as their name is read. Those who participated in GGCN found story sharing helpful, along with having a speaker address a topic around loss and grief during the second half of the session. Both programs provided reflection, solidarity, and memorialization. Most respondents prefer having both in-person and virtual options.

Healthcare providers are affected by the death of the children they care for and value opportunities provided to join colleagues in remembering their patients. The findings underscore the value of remembrance programs in supporting bereaved staff.