Disparities in the Contribution of Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Palliative Care Research

Abstract

Palliative care research should be a priority in LMIC, where many patients could benefit tremendously from it, and publication of findings in these countries should be encouraged.

Quantity, Design, and Scope of the Palliative Oncology Literature

“…On the other hand, there remained many "orphaned" topics even under physical symptoms, such as constipation, anorexia-cachexia, bleeding, and edema. Other aspects of palliative care, including communication, decision making/ethics, education, research methodology, and spirituality, each comprised Յ5% Consistent with other studies, we found that developing countries contributed to only 3% of all studies [24]. Research output generally corresponded to the level of palliative care development worldwide [25].…”

International palliative care research in the context of global development: a systematic mapping review

“…This echoes findings from a 2011 study which found a low level of palliative care research emanating from low-income and middle-income countries and suggested an association between the level of palliative development within a region and its research output 19. This is perhaps unsurprising and reflects broader trends in academic research in developed regions where greater funding and institutional capacity exists that facilitates greater research output 51.…”

“…As research capacity in low and middle-income countries is low, it is important for researchers in other settings, to produce evidence which has international relevance 19. For instance, given suggestions that palliative care services such as that in Kerala may be transferrable to other settings, the extent to which evidence supports such claims is unknown 20.…”

Preferences regarding disclosure of prognosis and end-of-life care: A survey of cancer patients with advanced disease in a lower-middle-income country

“…12,13 Palliative and EOL care services in many low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) are still at a nascent stage and more work is needed to understand the preferences of patients in these countries regarding EOL care. 14,15 Little is known about the information needs and preferences regarding disclosure of prognosis and EOL care of cancer patients in Pakistan where cancer is an increasingly heavy burden on scarce healthcare resources. [16][17][18] Pakistan is a LMIC with an estimated population of 185 millionthe sixth largest in the world, and a per person gross national income of US$1380.…”