Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41527785›Full record

ReviewPalliative medicine2026

What are the symptoms and concerns of young adults living with life-limiting conditions and how well are they captured by patient reported outcome measures? A mixed-methods systematic review and framework synthesis.

Rachel L Chambers, India Tunnard, Hannah Scott, Lorna K Fraser, Katherine E Sleeman

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Palliative medicine, 2026. 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

5 authors.

Rachel L ChambersCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6945-5028
India TunnardCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4542-2624
Hannah ScottCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1243-3500
Lorna K FraserCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1360-4191
Katherine E SleemanCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, King's College London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9777-4373

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInternationally the number of young adults living with life-limiting conditions is increasing. Holistic concerns of this population have not been reviewed. It is unclear whether patient reported outcome measures used in this population capture their symptoms and concerns.

aimsTo: (1) identify and synthesise the symptoms and concerns of young adults (aged 18-39) living with life-limiting conditions; (2) evaluate the content validity of patient reported outcome measures used in this population.

designA mixed-methods systematic review and framework synthesis. PROSPERO ID CRD42024565986. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED from inception to 04/07/24.

resultsA total of 16552 articles identified, 100 included. Among these, 34 studies addressed aim 1. Of these 18 were qualitative, 12 mixed methods, 3 quantitative, and 1 used quantitative and qualitative methodologies. 66 quantitative studies addressed aim 2. They used 65 patient reported outcome measures, and 13 questionnaires to capture pre-defined symptoms and concerns. Symptoms and concerns included: physical (fertility and reproductive health, sexual concerns), psychological (embarrassment, suicidal thoughts and body image), social (loss of independence, balancing roles as a parent, missing out on events), spiritual concerns (uncertain future, life on hold), and quality of healthcare concerns (age-specific caring environments, role of partners as caregivers, involvement in decisions). Of the patient reported outcome measures identified as used with young adults, few were holistic.

conclusionThis review highlights the need for holistic, age-specific person-centred outcome measures for young adults living with life-limiting conditions. We present a conceptual framework of symptoms and concerns that can be used to develop or modify existing patient reported outcome measures for this population.

Indexed as

concerncontent validitypalliative carepatient reported outcome measuresymptomyoung adult

Identifiers

PMID41527785
PMCPMC12936152

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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.