Study examines the effects of palliative care on depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress for adults living with a serious illness, and their caregivers.

In a study in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, authors analyzed 38 randomized clinical trials of palliative care interventions and examined the average effect on psychological distress. They found that while psychological distress is not likely to be reduced in the context of a typical palliative care intervention, there are conceptual and methodological problems in the literature that should be remedied. This includes incorporating patients with existing mental health conditions in studies and increasing transparency and accountability through pretrial registration.

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