ArticleBMC palliative care2011
Hospital based palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa; a six month review from Malawi.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Approaches to integrating palliative care into African health systems: a qualitative systematic review.Health policy and planning · 2020Pooled it
- Barriers and facilitators to implementation of cancer treatment and palliative care strategies in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review.International journal of public health · 2018Pooled it
- Ear biometrics for patient identification in global health: a field study to test the effectiveness of an image stabilization device in improving identification accuracy.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2019Trial
- Trial
- A qualitative study of differences in palliative care in hospitals and traditional home-based care in Cameroon.BMC palliative care · 2025Article
- Toward enhanced decentralized palliative care services in Neno District, Malawi: a qualitative study.BMC palliative care · 2024Article
- Barriers to the integration of palliative care in Ghana: evidence from a tertiary health facility.Palliative care and social practice · 2023Article
- Article
- Quality of life among cancer patients at Queen Elizabeth and Kamuzu Central Hospitals in Malawi: a cross-sectional double-center study.African health sciences · 2022Article
- Study protocol for a single-centre observational study of household wellbeing and poverty status following a diagnosis of advanced cancer in Blantyre, Malawi -Wellcome open research · 2020Article
- Characterising cancer burden and quality of care at two palliative care clinics in Malawi.Malawi medical journal : the journal of Medical Association of Malawi · 2017Article
- Cervical cancer in southern Malawi: A prospective analysis of presentation, management, and outcomes.Malawi medical journal : the journal of Medical Association of Malawi · 2017Article
- Comprehensive Human Papillomavirus Genotyping in Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Its Relevance to Cervical Cancer Prevention in Malawian Women.Journal of global oncology · 2017Article
- Integrating palliative care into national health systems in Africa: a multi-country intervention study.Journal of global health · 2017Article
- Palliative care needs of patients living with end-stage kidney disease not treated with renal replacement therapy: An exploratory qualitative study from Blantyre, Malawi.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2017Article
- Ear biometrics for patient identification in global health: a cross-sectional study to test the feasibility of a simplified algorithm.BMC research notes · 2016Article
- A palliative care link nurse programme in Mulago Hospital, Uganda: an evaluation using mixed methods.BMC palliative care · 2016Article
- A review of patients with advanced cervical cancer presenting to palliative care services at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.Malawi medical journal : the journal of Medical Association of Malawi · 2015Article
- Where there is no morphine: the challenge and hope of palliative care delivery in Tanzania.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2014Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThe World Health Organisation recognises the importance of palliative care in an African setting. Despite this services are often patchy and inconsistent, and many operate at health centre and/or community level. Few reports from hospital based palliative care services in sub-Saharan Africa exist in the current literature. As part of its activities Tiyanjane Clinic has been providing hospital based palliative care to patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, a large government tertiary referral institution, in the Southern region of Malawi since 2003, caring for patients with HIV, cancer and other non-malignant palliative diagnoses.
methodsA retrospective review of case notes for all in-patients seen by Tiyanjane Clinic over a six month period (April-Sept 2009) was undertaken.
resultsA total of 177 patients were seen, for whom 137 case notes were available (77%). 58% of patients were male, 42% female. The average age of patients was 39.1 years (range 15-92 years). 54% of patients were HIV positive, with 34% on ARV drugs at the time of care. 42% of patients had HIV related diagnoses, including AIDS defining malignancies, 48% had (non AIDS related) cancers and 9% had other palliative diagnoses. The mean age of patients with HIV related diagnoses was 34 years, for cancer patients it was 48 years. Pain was the most commonly reported symptom (74%), with 56% of patients requiring oral morphine. The mean daily dose of morphine was 30 mg/day (range 9-100 mg). 65% of patients were discharged home, 26% of patients died during admission.
conclusionsThe palliative care population in this setting is relatively young, especially among patients with HIV related diagnoses. HIV and cancer are the main diagnostic groups. Pain is the most commonly reported symptom, with oral morphine frequently required. Health workers require access to and knowledge of oral morphine in order to provide appropriate assistance to patients under their care.
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