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In the Middle East, as in other countries in the developing world, there is now a wide acceptance that palliative care is an important public health issue that should be integrated into the mainstream of cancer care as well as other life-threatening diseases. Nowadays, it is recognized as a human right issue that patients and families have the right to receive this care. The WHO defined palliative care as the active total care of the patient's body, mind and spirit; whereby health care providers need to evaluate and alleviate the patient's physical, psychological and social distress. Such care encompasses a broad, multidisciplinary approach that includes both the family and the community and is provided in a range of settings, from the hospital, to the community health center, to home. This unique and timely book captures the progress and vision of many dedicated groups throughout the Middle East and the USA who have been working to advocate for and develop palliative care services in the region. Each of the book's chapters describes the efforts and challenges professionals have been experiencing as they address the palliative care needs of patients with life-limiting illnesses. Each country's specific chapter details the current state of palliative care services and describes the various approaches that led to the development of a range of services in hospital-based sites to community and home-based care services. The newly established programs took place in advanced academic institutions as well as in the community where home-based models of care were found to be the most efficient and compatible with the resources available. Each country describes the challenges and barriers that hindered palliative care from becoming fully integrated in comprehensive cancer care. One of the major barriers in most Middle Eastern countries is the lack of education and training among professionals involved in the care of cancer patients throughout the trajectory of their illness. The latter include the use of modern pain medications, communication capabilities and the lack of research to guide evidence-based approaches to care. This book serves as an important resource of information on the development efforts to advance palliative care services in a region that attempts to catch up to the modern individualized care for patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses. The contributing authors are recognized leaders in their countries, who have been contributing to the field's growth and development. The editor of this book provides a framework for capturing the growth of the field of palliative care that respects and represents the increasing importance of context and setting, as well as culture and resources. This book is a significant contribution to the process of documenting the development of palliative care, and also a tribute to individuals and teams who had the vision and commitment to pioneer this new discipline in cancer care. |
