Researching Palliative Care

by Field, David; Clark, David; Corner, Jessica; Davis, Carol

• ISBN13: 9780335204366
• ISBN10: 0335204368
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-02-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

This book is an essential resource for the improvement of research skills among researchers in palliative care. * It identifies key methods in palliative care research* Provides accessible examples and discussions of practical, methodological and ethical issues* Presents examples of good research practice* Provides a wide-ranging coverage of the areaResearching Palliative Care has been designed as a resource for those directly involved in the delivery of palliative care who wish to pursue research but who have little or no formal training for, or experience of, conducting research. It is also intended as a resource for students on the increasing number of specialist palliative care courses, post-qualification short courses and taught Masters courses for health professionals which have 'health research skills' as important or central elements within their programmes. Although there are many general texts on research methods, there are very few which specifically address research issues in palliative care. This book seeks to fill that gap in the literature. It covers the range of research methods that can be appropriately used for research in palliative care by bringing together a selection from the best articles in the field.

Author Biography

David Field is Deputy Director at the Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care Studies, Institute of Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London and Professor of Sociology and Palliative Care. His research has looked at the social contexts of care for dying people.

David Clark is currently Professor of Medical Sociology at the University of Sheffield. He has wide-ranging interests in the sociology of health, illness and family life.

Jessica Corner is Deputy Director and Dean, Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care Studies, Institute of Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London and Professor of Cancer Nursing. Her recent research includes
the nursing management of breathlessness.

Carol Davis is Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Countess Mountbatten House, Moorgreen Hospital, Southampton.

Table of Contents

Series editor's preface	vii
Introduction	1	(10)
Part I Key methods for researching palliative care	11	(64)
Introduction to Part I	13	(4)
Systematic reviews	17	(10)
Julie Hearn
David Feuer
Irene J. Higginson
Trevor Sheldon
Survey research in Palliative care using bereaved relatives	27	(10)
Julia M. Addington-Hall
Mark McCarthy
How many subjects are needed in a research sample in palliative care?	37	(5)
Sara Faithfull
Placebo-controlled trials in palliative care: the argument for	42	(7)
Janet R. Hardy
Placebo-controlled trails in palliative care: the argument against	49	(7)
Stephen R. Kirkham
J. Abel
What is qualitative research and what can it contribute to palliative care?	56	(11)
David Clark
Ethical issues in qualitative research in palliative care	67	(8)
Particia Wilkie
Part II Clinical research in palliative care	75	(66)
Introduction to Part II	77	(4)
Fatigue in advanced cancer: meaning before measurement?	81	(17)
Meinir Krishnasamy
How reliable are relatives retrospective reports of terminal illness? Patients' and relatives' accounts compared	98	(12)
John Hinton
Pitfalls in Placebo-controlled trials in palliative care: dexamethasone for the palliation of malignant bowel obstruction	110	(9)
Janet R. Hardy
Julie Ling
Janine Mansi
Richard Isaacs
Judith Bliss
Roger A'Hern
Peter Blake
Martin Gore
John Shepherd
Geoff Hands
Multicentre randomized controlled trial of nursing intervention for breathlessness in patients with lung cancer	119	(8)
Mary Bredin
Jessica Corner
Meinir Krishnasamy
Hilary Plant
Chris Bailey
Roger A'Hern
Outcome Measures in Palliative care for advanced cancer patients: a review	127	(14)
Julie Hearn
Irene J. Higginson
Part III Needs assessment. audit and evaluation	141	(54)
Introduction to Part III	143	(3)
Key issues in palliative care needs assessment	146	(6)
David Clark
Helen Malson
Palliative care needs assessment: incorporating the views of service users	152	(6)
Jo Heslop
The assessment of need for bereavement follow-up in palliative and hospice care	158	(11)
Sheila Payne
Marilyn Relf
Clinical audit and organizational audit in palliative care	169	(15)
Irene J. Higginson
Formative evaluation and its relevance to palliative care	184	(11)
Christine Ingleton
David Field
David Clark
Index	195