Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review

dc.contributor.advisorOlivier, Jill
dc.contributor.authorCourt, Lara A
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-31T10:42:10Z
dc.date.available2019-01-31T10:42:10Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.date.updated2019-01-31T10:41:42Z
dc.description.abstractMillions of people need palliative care worldwide for symptoms associated with life-threatening illnesses, yet few receive it. This is particularly true in low-and-middle income countries, meaning that most are left without support and pain relief at the end of their life. Access to palliative care is now being understood as a human right and the ethical responsibility of health systems. This has resulted in increased international focus and a call to integrate palliative care into health systems to promote access, and inversely to strengthen health systems. Yet how to do this in low-and-middle income countries is unclear. This study used scoping and systematic review methods to provide synthesised evidence on the approaches and interventions being used to integrate palliative care into African health systems, as well as describe lessons that can be learnt from these efforts. 40 articles were identified in the systematic review that described 51 different interventions that integrated palliative care into part of the health system in one or more African countries. The integration of palliative care services was rarely linked to health systems strengthening and concepts associated with integration were used inconsistently, if used at all. Core themes emerged on facilitators and barriers to the integration of palliative care into health systems. Facilitators included the use of a system-wide approach, the creation of sustainable partnerships, and making the patient central to integration interventions. The health system also needs to be able to support integration. This requires the presence of necessary policies and resources for palliative care, together with sufficient health workers who are trained and motivated to provide palliative care. Findings provide contextual evidence to guide implementors and decision makers seeking to integrate palliative care into health systems in Africa, as well as other low and-middle income countries.
dc.identifier.apacitationCourt, L. A. (2018). <i>Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29188en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCourt, Lara A. <i>"Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29188en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCourt, L. 2018. Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Court, Lara A AB - Millions of people need palliative care worldwide for symptoms associated with life-threatening illnesses, yet few receive it. This is particularly true in low-and-middle income countries, meaning that most are left without support and pain relief at the end of their life. Access to palliative care is now being understood as a human right and the ethical responsibility of health systems. This has resulted in increased international focus and a call to integrate palliative care into health systems to promote access, and inversely to strengthen health systems. Yet how to do this in low-and-middle income countries is unclear. This study used scoping and systematic review methods to provide synthesised evidence on the approaches and interventions being used to integrate palliative care into African health systems, as well as describe lessons that can be learnt from these efforts. 40 articles were identified in the systematic review that described 51 different interventions that integrated palliative care into part of the health system in one or more African countries. The integration of palliative care services was rarely linked to health systems strengthening and concepts associated with integration were used inconsistently, if used at all. Core themes emerged on facilitators and barriers to the integration of palliative care into health systems. Facilitators included the use of a system-wide approach, the creation of sustainable partnerships, and making the patient central to integration interventions. The health system also needs to be able to support integration. This requires the presence of necessary policies and resources for palliative care, together with sufficient health workers who are trained and motivated to provide palliative care. Findings provide contextual evidence to guide implementors and decision makers seeking to integrate palliative care into health systems in Africa, as well as other low and-middle income countries. DA - 2018 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2018 T1 - Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review TI - Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29188 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/29188
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCourt LA. Integration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, 2018 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29188en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Public Health and Family Medicine
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherHealth Systems
dc.titleIntegration of palliative care in African health systems: a systematic review
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPH
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