Children with palliative care needs - the landscape of the nordic countries
(2024) In BMC Palliative Care 23(1).- Abstract
BACKGROUND: To strengthen palliative care for children in the Nordic countries, an updated status of current needs, resources, clinical services, education, and research is necessary to align and consolidate future research. A Nordic research collaboration initiative for children with palliative care needs was assembled in 2023. Building on this initiative, this paper presents an overview of pediatric palliative care (PPC) in the Nordic countries' (a) population characteristics, (b) care models and setting of care, (c) education and training, and (d) research.
METHODS: The Nordic initiative researchers collaboratively gathered and assessed available data on the characteristics of PPC within Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland,... (More)
BACKGROUND: To strengthen palliative care for children in the Nordic countries, an updated status of current needs, resources, clinical services, education, and research is necessary to align and consolidate future research. A Nordic research collaboration initiative for children with palliative care needs was assembled in 2023. Building on this initiative, this paper presents an overview of pediatric palliative care (PPC) in the Nordic countries' (a) population characteristics, (b) care models and setting of care, (c) education and training, and (d) research.
METHODS: The Nordic initiative researchers collaboratively gathered and assessed available data on the characteristics of PPC within Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, and Åland. Data were compiled in a matrix with population characteristics, models- and setting of care, education and training, and areas of research in a Nordic context. The findings are narratively and descriptively presented, providing an overview of Nordic PPC.
RESULTS: In total, the Nordic child population comprises around six million children (0-19 years), of which about 41.200 are estimated to be living with a life-limiting and/or life-threatening condition. Healthcare services are provided through various care models, ranging from specialized care to homecare settings. Overall, there remain few opportunities for education and training with some exceptions. Also, Nordic research within PPC has been shown to be a growing field although much remains to be done.
CONCLUSION: This overview is the first outline of the current PPC in Nordic countries. Although some differences remain important to acknowledge, overall, the strengths and challenges faced within PPC in the Nordic countries are comparable and call for joint action to increase evidence, services, and education to better serve the children, families, and healthcare personnel within PPC. Despite the varying structural premises for PPC, research endeavors aiming to provide evidence in this field seem increasing, timely and relevant for the Nordic countries, as well as the international context.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-05-08
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Humans, Palliative Care/methods, Scandinavian and Nordic Countries, Child, Infant, Child, Preschool, Adolescent, Infant, Newborn, Health Services Needs and Demand/trends, Pediatrics/methods
- in
- BMC Palliative Care
- volume
- 23
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 118
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38720316
- scopus:85192359747
- ISSN
- 1472-684X
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12904-024-01447-x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- © 2024. The Author(s).
- id
- c2fda2e4-e743-4b1c-b767-650d4aab4fe6
- date added to LUP
- 2024-05-13 08:22:48
- date last changed
- 2024-06-11 06:44:16
@article{c2fda2e4-e743-4b1c-b767-650d4aab4fe6,
abstract = {{<p>BACKGROUND: To strengthen palliative care for children in the Nordic countries, an updated status of current needs, resources, clinical services, education, and research is necessary to align and consolidate future research. A Nordic research collaboration initiative for children with palliative care needs was assembled in 2023. Building on this initiative, this paper presents an overview of pediatric palliative care (PPC) in the Nordic countries' (a) population characteristics, (b) care models and setting of care, (c) education and training, and (d) research.</p><p>METHODS: The Nordic initiative researchers collaboratively gathered and assessed available data on the characteristics of PPC within Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, and Åland. Data were compiled in a matrix with population characteristics, models- and setting of care, education and training, and areas of research in a Nordic context. The findings are narratively and descriptively presented, providing an overview of Nordic PPC.</p><p>RESULTS: In total, the Nordic child population comprises around six million children (0-19 years), of which about 41.200 are estimated to be living with a life-limiting and/or life-threatening condition. Healthcare services are provided through various care models, ranging from specialized care to homecare settings. Overall, there remain few opportunities for education and training with some exceptions. Also, Nordic research within PPC has been shown to be a growing field although much remains to be done.</p><p>CONCLUSION: This overview is the first outline of the current PPC in Nordic countries. Although some differences remain important to acknowledge, overall, the strengths and challenges faced within PPC in the Nordic countries are comparable and call for joint action to increase evidence, services, and education to better serve the children, families, and healthcare personnel within PPC. Despite the varying structural premises for PPC, research endeavors aiming to provide evidence in this field seem increasing, timely and relevant for the Nordic countries, as well as the international context.</p>}},
author = {{Winger, Anette and Holmen, Heidi and Birgisdóttir, Dröfn and Lykke, Camilla and Lövgren, Malin and Neergaard, Mette Asbjoern and Grönroos, Marika and Kero, Johanna and Kristinsdóttir, Oddný and Pétursdóttir, Ásta Bjarney and Castor, Charlotte}},
issn = {{1472-684X}},
keywords = {{Humans; Palliative Care/methods; Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; Child; Infant; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Infant, Newborn; Health Services Needs and Demand/trends; Pediatrics/methods}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{05}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{BMC Palliative Care}},
title = {{Children with palliative care needs - the landscape of the nordic countries}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01447-x}},
doi = {{10.1186/s12904-024-01447-x}},
volume = {{23}},
year = {{2024}},
}