Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41157869›Full record

ArticlePalliative & supportive care2025

Psychosocial distress in rural palliative care: Preliminary longitudinal findings using the DADDS.

Geena Bennett, Felicity Bates, Kerith Duncanson, Ian Heslop, Jennifer Schneider, Sarah Dineen-Griffin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative & supportive care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Geena BennettSchool of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1888-871X
Felicity BatesCoffs Clinical Network Pharmacy Department, Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8647-5600
Kerith DuncansonSchool of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5525-6589
Ian HeslopSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4030-7686
Jennifer SchneiderClinical Pharmacology and Clinical Toxicology, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3473-8009
Sarah Dineen-GriffinSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7080-0108

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPalliative care enhances life, but rural Australia faces significant inequities, and psychosocial distress, an important yet often overlooked aspect, is under-recognized in these settings. This study examines how psychosocial distress evolves in rural palliative patients using the Death and Dying Distress Scale (DADDS).

methodsA longitudinal study was conducted with palliative care patients in rural hospitals on Australia's east coast. Distress levels were measured using DADDS at multiple timepoints. Mixed-effects models assessed distress trajectories, while survival analyses (Weibull model) examined whether average distress changes predicted survival duration. For comparability, DADDS scores in mixed-effects models were standardized (0-100%), whereas survival analyses used raw total score changes.

resultsAdjusted mean total DADDS was 37.14 ± 22.67, with highest distress in SIGNIFICANCE OF

resultsPsychosocial distress peaks in early palliative care and near death and is associated with reduced survival. Support should prioritize fears of suffering and pain during these stages, address fear of the dying process earlier, and remain attentive to persistent concerns such as loss of time and opportunity.

Indexed as

Palliative CarePsychological DistressStress, PsychologicalAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAustraliaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPsychometricsRural PopulationSurveys and Questionnairesdeath and dying distress scalePalliative carepsychosocial distressrural healthsurvival analysis

Identifiers

PMID41157869
PMCPMC13166665

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.