Table 2 Thematic groups in research publications

Community Health Workers

5

The role and/or training of community health workers involved in delivering palliative care

Palliative Care Patients and Caregivers

11

The needs and/or perspectives of palliative care patients and/or their caregivers

Culture

1

The cultural dimensions of disclosing the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness to children

Technology

2

The use of technology in the provision of palliative care

Evaluation

11

Evaluation of palliative care programs, including service models and/or patient characteristics and symptoms

Surgery

2

Whether the intent of surgery for cancer patients was palliative or curative

Education

1

The effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve pain management

Opioids

4

The availability

of essential medicines across several countries, including Malawi, or the perspectives of health care workers on opioids

Regional or global palliative care development

6

Mapping and characterizing the state of palliative care in countries around

the world, including Malawi

Symptom management

2

The effectiveness of palliative treatments

Cost/Savings

3

The cost of palliative care treatment, or potential household savings associated with palliative care

Methodological

2

Developing or evaluating palliative care assessment tools, including the APCA Palliative Outcome Scale