Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39871212›Full record

SynthesisBMC palliative care2025

Decision-making regarding place of end-of-life care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions: a systematic integrative review.

Ashleen Crowe, Fiona Hurley, Gemma Kiernan, Helen Kerr, Yvonne Corcoran, Jayne Price, Joanne Reid, Eileen Courtney, Tracey McConnell, Patricia McNeilly and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

11 authors.

Ashleen Crowe *School of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.
Fiona Hurley *School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, D09 V209, Ireland.
Gemma KiernanSchool of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, D09 V209, Ireland.
Helen KerrSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.
Yvonne CorcoranSchool of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, D09 V209, Ireland.
Jayne PriceSchool of Nursing, Allied, and Public Health, Kingston University, London, United Kingdom.
Joanne ReidSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.
Eileen CourtneySchool of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, D09 V209, Ireland.
Tracey McConnellSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.
Patricia McNeilly *School of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom. p.mcneilly@qub.ac.uk.
Veronica Lambert *School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Faculty of Science and Health, Dublin City University, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, D09 V209, Ireland. veronica.lambert@dcu.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4396-5462

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDue to medical advancements the number of children living with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions is rising, meaning more children and their families will require palliative and end-of-life care in the future. While 'home' is often the preferred place of end-of-life care, the evidence around best practice for decision-making about place of end-of-life care remains inadequate.

aimTo synthesise evidence on the factors influencing decision-making regarding place of end-of-life care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

designA systematic integrative literature review. The review protocol was registered in Prospero: CRD42023406800. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Maternal and Infant Health were searched for studies published between 2013 and 2024. Any empirical, peer-reviewed journal articles published in English that included data pertaining to decision-making about place of end-of-life care for children (≤ 18 years) with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions were considered. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

resultsEleven eligible studies were included. Using an iterative process of constant data comparison, four themes were identified, highlighting that (i) consideration of the child, (ii) availability and suitability of end-of-life care services, (iii) parents' capacity and control in providing care, and (iv) family and sibling well-being were factors influencing decision-making about place of end-of-life care.

conclusionThere are a complex range of factors surrounding decision-making regarding place of end-of-life care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. Studies focused primarily on parents' perspectives. Further research is needed to identify how to best support decisions about place of end-of-life care for families of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

Indexed as

Decision MakingTerminal CareChildHumansInfantDecision-makingEnd-of-lifeLife-limiting life-threatening conditionsPaediatricsPalliative carePediatricsPlace of careSystematic integrative review

Identifiers

PMID39871212
PMCPMC11773786

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.