Pediatric Oncology, Palliative Care and Low- or Middle- Income Countries: A Call for Action

Pediatric Oncology, Palliative Care and Low- or Middle- Income Countries: A Call for Action

Siddiqui MF; Nohra L; Saleh M; Thakkar K; Trivedi R; Moujally SN; Deeb H; Nicolas G; Emmanuel N

Global Pediatric Health

2023

palliative care; Palliative Care; cancer; global health; pediatric oncology; LMICs; pediatric palliative oncology

Pediatric oncology, which includes cancer screening and therapy in children, poses significant challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Palliative care improves children's and their families' quality of life. In LMICs, palliative care resources are scarce, resulting in poor symptom management, psychological support, and spiritual care. All relevant English-language articles on pediatric palliative oncology were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Medline databases using the following keywords: "Pediatric Oncology," "Pediatric Palliative Oncology," "Pediatric Palliative Care," "Palliative Care," "Child Cancer," and "Lower- and Middle-Income Countries." This study highlights the significance of incorporating palliative care early in therapy and the recommendations may improve the competence of information provided by medical professionals to patients and families. LMICs have the potential to improve overall treatment and outcomes for child cancer patients and their families by prioritizing the integration of palliative care, guaranteeing a compassionate and dignified attitude toward the disease.

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2023 SE5 - Low Resource Setting