Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the good death inventory (GDI-A) questionnaire tested on Palestinian family members of deceased adult cancer patients

Background Despite the importance of understanding the concept of good death (GD) from different cultural perspectives, it has not been assessed in Arab communities because of the unavailability of validated instruments. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Good Death Inventory (GDI-A) questionnaire used among Palestinian bereaved family members of cancer patients. Methods A cross-sectional methodological study was applied. An online survey was adopted as a data collection method. The online survey was delivered through Qualtrics and posted in cancer and health-related social media groups on Facebook, the most commonly utilized social media platform in Palestine. A convenient and snowball sampling of 285 family members of deceased adult cancer patients was adopted. The participants were asked to complete GDI online survey. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), content validity, and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Results Participants showed a good perspective about death (M = 300.01, SD = 31.09). Significant differences in GDI-A total score were reported with the “patient’s relationship with family” (M = 303.02, SD = 31.42), F(2, 282) = 7.787, p = .001, “educational level” (M = 305.97, SD = 28.38), F(4, 280) = 3.685, p = .006, and “member’s relationship with the patient” (M = 311.74, SD = 16.57), F(5, 279) = 3.125, p = .009. The Arabic version scale-level content validity index and the scale-level content validity index-universal agreement were 0.96 and 0.85, respectively. Factor analysis with a varimax rotation matrix revealed that 16 factors explained 76.08% of the variance. Conclusion This study provides the literature with an Arabic questionnaire for understanding the concept of a GD from the perspective of bereaved families. The GDI Arabic translated version is a psychometrically robust instrument with satisfactory measurement, which can be used for evaluating a GD among bereaved families

The Symptom Burden and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients in the Gaza Strip, Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, but there is an absence of evidence systematically assessing symptom burden and quality of life (QoL) using validated tools. Our objective was to assess associations between socio-demographic and disease-related characteristics, symptom burden and QoL in a sample of cancer patients accessing outpatient services in the Gaza Strip. Design A cross-sectional, descriptive survey using interviews and medical record review involving patients with cancer accessing oncology outpatient services at Al Rantisi Hospital and European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in the Gaza Strip was employed. Socio-demographic and disease-related data, the Lebanese version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS-Leb), and the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) were collected. Multiple linear regression was used to judge the relative influence of determinants of QoL. Results Of 414 cancer patients approached, 385 patients consented to participation. The majority were women (64.7%) with a mean age of 52 years (SD = 16.7). Common cancer diagnoses were breast (32.2%), haematological (17.9%) and colorectal (9.1%). The median number of symptoms was 10 (IQR 1.5–18.5). Mean overall QoL was 70.5 (SD 19.9) with common physical and psychological symptoms identified. A higher burden of symptoms was associated with marital status, education and income. Limited access to both opioids and psychological support were reported. Conclusions A high symptom burden was identified in outpatients with cancer. Increasing provision and access to supportive care for physical and psychological symptoms should be prioritised alongside exploring routine assessment of symptom burden and QoL

Analysis of the unmet needs of Palestinian advanced cancer patients and their relationship to emotional distress : results from a cross-sectional study

202309 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionPublishe

Palliative care knowledge and attitudes towards end-of-life care among undergraduate nursing students at Al-Quds university : implications for Palestinian education

202309 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionPublishe

Global palliative care research (2002-2020) : bibliometric review and mapping analysis

202202 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionEarly releas

A distress thermometer with a cutoff score of ≥ 6 is the optimal point to identify highly distressed patients with advanced cancer stages in resource-limited countries without palliative care services

202307 bckwVersion of RecordSelf-fundedPublishe

Challenges on the provision of palliative care for patients with cancer in low- and middle-income countries : a systematic review of reviews

202008 bcrcVersion of RecordPublishe

Psychological distress and associated factors among Palestinian advanced cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: There is limited research exploring the experiences of people living with advanced cancer in the Gaza Strip (GS), Palestine. Thus, this study aimed to determine the level of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among advanced cancer patients in the GS and identify factors associated with a high level of distress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed using primary data from a larger study focusing on supportive care needs in advanced cancer patients in GS. Three hundred sixty-one patients agreed to participate and filled out the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with high distress levels. RESULTS: Over two-thirds of advanced cancer patients (70.6%) reported a high level of distress. They also reported a significantly higher distress level than patients with early cancer (96.5 vs. 3.5%; p = 0.001). About 92.8% of participants reported depression and anxiety symptoms. Physical, emotional, and practical problems were the primary sources of distress. Breast cancer patients were more likely to have psychological distress than colon and stomach cancer patients. Newly diagnosed patients had a higher level of anxiety, depression, and distress than those who had a cancer diagnosis for an extended period. CONCLUSION: Patients with advanced cancer in the GS exhibited a significantly higher level of psychological distress, depression and anxiety than patients with advanced cancer elsewhere. Efforts should be made to identify psychological distress as a routine part of oncology practice. Future research should further explore the causes of psychological distress in cancer patients in conflict zones and feasible mitigation strategies

COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong and gaza strip : lessons learned from two densely populated locations in the world

202109 bcvcVersion of RecordPublishe