ArticleBMC palliative care2024
Decision-making about palliative sedation for patients with cancer: a qualitative study in five European countries linked to the Palliative sedation project.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Family members' experiences of palliative sedation -a systematic integrative review.BMC palliative care · 2026Pooled it
- Bridging theory-practice gaps in sedation for existential suffering: Clinical implications.Palliative & supportive care · 2026Article
- The decision-making process for sedation in specialist palliative care: a qualitative interview study with team members, relatives, and patients.BMC palliative care · 2026Article
- Healthcare professionals' perceptions of ethical issues in palliative sedation: A moral case deliberation study in eight European countries.Palliative care and social practice · 2026Article
- Understanding anesthesia anxiety: A mixed-methods analysis of propofol discourse on reddit.Digital healthArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPalliative sedation refers to the proportional use of titrated medication which reduces consciousness with the aim of relieving refractory suffering related to physical and psychological symptoms and/or existential distress near the end of life. Palliative sedation is intended to be an end of life option that enables healthcare professionals to provide good patient care but there remains controversy on how it is used. Little is known about decision-making processes regarding this procedure. The aim of this study was to explore decision-making processes in palliative sedation based on the experiences and perceptions of relatives and healthcare professionals.
methodsWe conducted a qualitative interview study with dyads (a bereaved relative and a healthcare professional) linked to 33 deceased patient with cancer who had palliative sedation, in seven in-patient palliative care settings in five countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain). A framework analysis approach was used to analyse the data.
resultsTwo main themes are defined: 1) Decision-making about palliative sedation is a complex iterative process, 2) Decision-making is a shared process between the patient, healthcare professionals, and relatives. Decision-making about palliative sedation appears to follow an iterative process of shared information, deliberation, and decision-making. The patient and healthcare professionals are the main stakeholders, but relatives are involved and may advocate for, or delay, the decision-making process. Starting palliative sedation is reported to be an emotionally difficult decision for all parties.
conclusionsAs decision-making about palliative sedation is a complex and iterative process, patients, relatives and healthcare professionals need time for regular discussions. This requires a high level of engagement by healthcare professionals, that takes into account patients' wishes and needs, and helps to facilitate decision-making.
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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.