Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32800001›Full record

ArticlePrimary health care research & development2019

How do physicians and nurses in family practice describe their care for patients with progressive life-limiting illness? A qualitative study of a 'palliative approach'.

Alex Rewegan, Sharef Danho, Joy White, Samantha Winemaker, Nicolle Hansen, Amanda MacLennan, Michelle Howard

Open access · goldAbstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Primary health care research & development, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Alex ReweganDepartment of Social Anthropology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sharef DanhoFaculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Joy WhiteDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Samantha WinemakerDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Nicolle HansenDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Amanda MacLennanDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Michelle HowardDepartment of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-8127-5492
McMaster University · CAUniversity of Toronto · CAYork University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo explore how a palliative approach to care is operationalized in primary care, through the description of clinical practices used by primary care clinicians to identify and care for patients with progressive life-limiting illness (PLLI).

backgroundIncreasing numbers of people are living with PLLI but are often not recognized as needing a palliative approach to care. To meet growing needs, generalists such as family physicians will need to adopt a palliative approach to care in their own setting. Practical descriptions of a palliative approach in non-specialist settings have been lacking.

methodsWe conducted a qualitative descriptive study design using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 key informant participants (6 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners, 1 registered nurse, and 1 registered practical nurse) known to be providing comprehensive care to patients with PLLI in family practices in Ontario, Canada. We asked about their approach to identifying patients with PLLI and the strategies used in their care. We employed content analysis to develop themes.

findingsParticipants identified patients by functional decline, change in needs, increased acuity, and the specifics of a condition/diagnosis. Care strategies included concretizing commitment to care, eliciting goals of care, shifting care to the home, broadening team members including leveraging the support of family and community resources, and shifting to a 'proactive' approach involving increased follow-up, flexibility, and intensity.

conclusionPrimary care providers articulated strategies for identifying and providing care to patients with PLLI that illuminate an upstream approach tailored to their setting.

Indexed as

AdultFamily PracticeFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleNursesOntarioPalliative CarePhysiciansQualitative Researchchronic illnessend of lifefamily practicepalliative care medicineprimary carequalitative research

Identifiers

PMID32800001
PMCPMC6609973
OpenAlexW2954283763

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.