Table 1 Areas of PC research interest in Kenya
Priority Areas: | Topics of interest for research: | |
|---|---|---|
1 | Beliefs about death, disease, and treatment that can inform PC | • Patient culture and provision of culturally competent PC services • Provider beliefs and care transition |
2 | Awareness of PC | • Provider awareness about PC • Public awareness about PC • Implementation of evidence-based education initiatives |
3 | Integration of PC within the health system | • Integration within medical system • PC education and training • Government support at national and county level |
4 | Understanding caregiver experiences and needs | • Family and paid caregiver experiences and needs, including bereavement support • PC provider experiences and needs |
5 | Community health volunteers (CHV) and volunteer programs | • Traditional CHV and volunteer programs • Opportunities for additional community partnerships |
6 | Evaluation of costs and benefits of PC | • Cost of providing basic PC • Comparison of cost–benefit of different PC models (e.g. home, hospital, hospice) • Use of this information for advocacy |
7 | Utility of treatment approaches, Including complementary and alternative Medicine (CAM) and use of advanced diagnostics at end of life | • Are these practices (e.g. yoga, medication, herbal remedies) effective • Can they be replicated for use in other settings • Evaluation of benefits of extensive diagnostic tests and treatments when a cure is not possible |
8 | Other suggestions for research | • Evaluation of strategies for PC advocacy • Quality of care and process evaluation • Patient-centered care • Effect of disclosure of terminal disease status on patient • Spirituality in PC • Effect of PC on quality of life • Epidemiology research |
9 | Populations in need of PC research | • Pediatric PC models and new approaches such as child-life support services • Factors that influence care delivery in remote settings and optimal models for remote PC delivery • Expansion of PC research beyond HIV and cancer to populations often overlooked for services |
10 | Resources for enabling research | • Human resources (staffing, training, retention) • Enhancement of data collection infrastructure • Cancer registry • Additional sustainable funding |