Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Challenges of Caregiving During a Pandemic for Parkinson's Family Care Partners.

Aim: To understand Parkinson's Disease (PD) care partners' a) specific challenges that led to worsening strain and b) their suggestions for supports to help them during the ongoing pandemic. Method: Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews with family care partners (n = 19) were completed. Participants were recruited from 10 sites across the United States that varied in size, demographics of patient population served, and geographic location (urban, suburban, rural). Interviews were audio-recorded, de-identified, transcribed verbatim, and coded in a phased manner. The research team analyzed the data and identified themes. Results: During the pandemic, the already difficult task of caregiving was made worse by having to choose between poor options. Five themes exemplified PD care partner experiences: (1) Managing risks and benefits of medical care in settings outside the home vs meeting these needs at home; (2) Struggling to maintain employment benefits with the costs of care and risks of bringing in outside caregivers; (3) Struggling to balance caregiving and self-care; (4) Struggling to be supportive and taking on new caregiving roles in the face of less support services; and (5) Wanting social connections and feeling pressured to maintain isolation. Care partners wanted timely access to, and guidance from healthcare teams to help them. Conclusions: Care partner burden was worsened by lack of guidance when confronted by choices that could lead to negative outcomes. Movement disorder and palliative care providers may be able to alleviate some care partner burden through building systems for timely access and guidance.

Study of Pharmacists' Awareness Regarding Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Ukraine

Objectives: Data showed that during the SOVID-19 pandemic the pharmacy is the first place for patient care. The purpose was to study the awareness of pharmacists about the COVID-19 for 2021-2022 in Ukraine to provide complete and quality care. Method(s): Survey was developed to determine the level of knowledge of pharmacists regarding the main symptoms, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of uncomplicated forms of the COVID-19 by using Google form. The heads of pharmacies, pharmacists in eight regions of Ukraine were involved. The research period was December 2021 - December 2022. Result(s): We received, 725 completed questionnaires from 8 regions of Ukraine, of which 69.7% were pharmacy managers, 12.0% were pharmacists, and 18.3% were intern- pharmacists. Of the surveyed pharmacists, 95% called the method of airborne transmission, but 4.7% believe that the coronavirus is transmitted by the contact-household method, and 0.3% - transmissible. We found that 100% of respondents correctly named the main indicators of the condition of a patient with the COVID-19. However, only 95.4% of pharmacists correctly defined the concept of saturation, which requires improvement of information support. For the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated forms, 91.7% of respondents correctly determined that Paracetamol, Ibuprofen are for the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated forms, but 8.3% of pharmacists named other drugs. Assessing the need to take antibiotics, 88.5% of pharmacists gave the correct answer, but 5.5% believe that the reason for prescribing antibiotics is an increase in body temperature, and 5.4% named a decrease in saturation, 0.6% - dry a cough, that does not meet the requirements of thee national guideleines Covid-19. Conclusion(s): We found that pharmacists are 100% well-informed with the symptoms and causes of the Covid-19. However, it is necessary to improve the provision of information about the requirements for the treatment of uncomplicated forms of Covid-19 and the dispensing of antibiotics from pharmacies.Copyright © 2023

PALLIATIVE CARE AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC BETWEEN HOSPITAL-CENTRIC BASED APPROACH AND DECENTRALISATION OF HEALTH SERVICES: A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THE CORNER?

Italy was the first Western EU country to have dealt with the severe effects of the widespread Covid-19 virus since the pandemic began. Many healthcare services were negatively affected, and the delivery of palliative care has been no exception. The Italian healthcare system has suffered more than others due to public spending cuts. The hospital-based approach has not allowed all patients to receive appropriate care. This situation was brought about not only by the pandemic emergency but mainly by pre-existing shortages due to the cut in financial resources before the Covid-19 pandemic. For countries similar to Italy, it is necessary to develop territorialised health care, decongestion hospitals, and strengthen the Third Sector, particularly the voluntary sector. © EuroMediterranean Biomedical Journal 2023.

Assessment of palliative approach in the pain management in endodontic emergencies during Covid-19 outbreak: Retrospective cohort study

Aim: During the coronavirus disease, a palliative approach was recommended for the management of endodontic emergencies. This retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of dexamethasone or ibuprofen-acetaminophen combination for pain management in endodontic emergencies. Material(s) and Method(s): One hundred and eight records of patients who presented to the emergency department with dental pain were evaluated retrospectively. Since interventional procedures were not performed during the pandemic period, Specific analgesics/antibiotics for the management of pain were preferred. A follow-up protocol with a questionnaire was developed to observe the effectiveness of palliative treatment and make changes if necessary. All participants received a questionnaire to rate the pain levels 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, and 72 hours after taking the drug. All data were collected from the patient file and assessed. After inclusion and exclusion criteria, 32 patients were included (n = 19, ibuprofen + acetaminophen;n = 13, dexamethasone). Data were analyzed using the chi-square test (P = 0.05). Result(s): In both groups, a significant decrease in pain was experienced immediately after medication and at 6, 12, and 18 hours, with no significant difference (P >.05). However, dexamethasone (Group II) resulted in lower pain levels than ibuprofen\acetaminophen (Group I) at 24 and 48 hours (P <.05) Discussion: Both dexamethasone and ibuprofen-acetaminophen can be good palliative choices in endodontic emergencies in pandemic conditions. However, at 24 and 48 hours, dexamethasone resulted in lower pain levels.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.

Tele-ACP amidst COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

BackgroundWhen COVID-19 hit Singapore in 2020, the public was advised to avoid visiting the hospitals unless for essential services. Advance Care Planning (ACP) services in hospital and community had to be stopped to reduce exposure for the public. However, it was not feasible for ACP services to stop with no foresight of when it could resume. Ironically, ACP should all the more be advocated amidst the pandemic.Henceforth, the team planned and implemented a tele-ACP workflow in February 2020 to ensure accessibility in continuity of care and reduce waiting time for ACP appointments.MethodsTele-ACP is conducted only via Zoom, given its security and encryption features. Criteria of patients include ability to read basic English, having electronic device with internet access, and having no severe hearing or speech impairment.Pre-ACP appointment: Zoom details including a guide were sent to patients and/or NHS.On appointment day: Before session starts, ACP Facilitator will ensure that patient and/or NHS are at a space where there is privacy. Internet stability will also be checked.Post-ACP appointment: Signatures will be obtained electronically or via post, while ensuring personal data is well-protected.ResultsFrom February 2020 to November 2022, 105 tele-ACPs (14 General ACPs and 91 Preferred Plan of Care) were completed. 45 were completed in 2020 and 2021 each, while 15 were done in 2022 (as of November). The average duration for tele vs in-person ACPs is both about 90 minutes, indicating that the effort and time spent are not any less despite ACP discussions being done virtually.ConclusionsLooking at the number of tele-ACPs completed and how it is still actively carried out despite COVID-19 situation being stable and restrictions lifted, tele-ACP is clearly in healthy demand. This shows that tele-ACP is here to stay, being both sustainable and transferable to multiple settings.

Review of the advance care planning (ACP) 2.0 programme in TTSH on training, practice and implementation

Aim(s)To evaluate ACP 2.0 programme in TTSH by doing comparative evaluation of 3 aspects namely, training, practice and implementation from FY2017 to FY2022, and the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the programme.MethodologyRetrospective analysis of ACP data in TTSH and historical developments of the TTSH ACP 2.0 programme was conducted. New developments that were implemented included:Trial of Tele-ACP in FY21–22Implementation of ACP FYI-flag in EPIC systemSelf-registration of access to AIC ACP IT portal by TTSH ACP facilitatorsVirtual ACP training in FY20–22Physical and virtual ACP talks and webinars in partnership with community partnersResultsThe following results were observed:1121 participants attended ACP facilitation training from FY17–21. There was a 39% decrease in training enrolment in FY20 due to COVID-19 pandemic but a 52% increase was recorded in FY21 after training was converted to virtual format.Reduction in number of completed ACP with 12% drop in FY20 and 14% decrease in FY21. Total number of 5312 ACP were completed from FY17–21.240 staff were trained as ACP advocates from FY17–2124 tele-ACP were conducted from April 2021 to March 2022 with monthly average of 2 tele-ACP sessions.ConclusionCOVID-19 pandemic has affected ACP training and facilitation significantly due to nation-wide strict no-visitation policy in hospital, safe distancing measures and general uneasiness of patients and families to visit hospital. In spite of these challenges, the ACP team persevered with continual engagement with different clinical disciplines. The implementation of virtual training, Zoom meetings, webinars and tele-ACP helped to improve the overall outcomes in awareness, educational talks, training and facilitation.

Outcome of COVID-19 on Indian patients with cancer: A multicenter, retrospective study

Background: Managing patients with cancer during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging. Disruptions in cancer management have been observed due to cancellation of treatment, issues related to commuting, and dearth of health-care workers. Objective(s): This study was conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was aimed at evaluating the 30-day all-cause mortality among patients with cancer and COVID-19 infection and the factors affecting it. Material(s) and Method(s): In this retrospective study, we collected secondary data from nine tertiary care centers in South India over a period of 10 months from March to Dec 2020. Patients across all age groups with histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of cancer who were affected by COVID-19 during their evaluation or treatment were included in the study. The primary outcome variables of the present study were 30-day all-cause mortality, cancer outcomes, and COVID-19 outcomes. Result(s): A total of 206 patients were included. Median age of the cohort was 55.5 years, and the male-To-female ratio was 1:1.03. The 30-day mortality rate was 12.6%. Twenty-Two patients (10.7%) had severe COVID-19 infection at the initial presentation. Predictors for severe pneumonia at the initial presentation were incomplete remission at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis and palliative intent of treatment. Severe pneumonia at the initial presentation, diagnosis of COVID-19 on or before August 2020, and need for ventilator support were associated with increased mortality. Conclusion(s): Severity of infection at the initial presentation, cancer status, and the intent of cancer treatment impact COVID-19 outcomes in patients with cancer.Copyright © 2022 Iranian Society of Ophthalmology. All rights reserved.

Impact of Covid 19 Pandemic on Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery - Single Institution Experience

Introduction: Surgical treatment of rectal cancer depends on clinical stage, size and location of primary tumor. A sphincter preserving technique such as low anterior resection (LAR) is the preferred method if negative distal margin can be achieved. If an adequate distal margin cannot be obtained, an abdominoperineal resection (APR) is required. A proctosigmoidectomy (Hartmann's procedure) is performed in patients with potentially curable obstructing rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, or as a palliative treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. Aim(s): The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the impact of COVID 19 pandemic on the number and type of surgeries performed for the treatment of rectal cancer in UHC Zagreb, Department of Surgery. Material(s) and Method(s): Collected data were extracted from medical records of the patients who underwent surgery at the Department of Surgery from 1st of January 2016 to 31st of December 2022 with prior Ethics Committee approval. Total of 688 patients were included. Retrospective analysis of number and type of surgery was done consecutively by years for the period of interest. Result(s): In 2016 total of 75 patients underwent elective surgery for rectal cancer. LAR was performed in 64% (N=48) of patients, Hartmann's procedure in 20% (N=15), and APR in 16% (N=12). In 2017, 94 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 64% (N=60), Hartmann's procedure 17% (N=16), and APR 19% (N=18). In 2018, 115 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 69% (N=79), Hartmann's procedure 10% (N=12), and APR 21% (N=24). In 2019, 80 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 67% (N=54), Hartmann's procedure 9% (N=80), and APR 24%. In 2020, 78 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 59% (N=46), Hartmann's procedure 14% (N=11), and APR 27% (N=21). In 2021, 124 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 66% (N=82), Hartmann's procedure 14% (N=17), and APR 20% (N=25). In 2022, 122 surgeries were performed. LAR accounted for 64% (N=78), Hartmann's procedure 15% (N=18), and APR 21% (N=26). Conclusion(s): Our results show steady growth in numbers of performed surgeries in the years prior to the pandemic, with exception of the year 2019 when our department underwent organizational changes. In 2020, significant decrease in number of surgeries was observed as a result of restrictive epidemiological measures established to reduce the spread of COVID 19 infection. COVID 19 pandemic measures also resulted in delayed diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer which is indirectly shown through the increasing share of Hartmann's procedure. In the years following the relaxation of measures, significant increase in number of performed surgeries that exceeded all the pre-pandemic years was recorded. Constant elevated share of Hartmann's procedure was noted as possible consequence of post COVID delay in diagnosis and confirmation of rectal cancer in more advanced stages of disease.

Enhancing palliative care at home: a generalist community nursing case study

What this paper adds: * This case study demonstrated that facilitating ongoing education opportunities that draw on the expertise of local palliative care champions or internal specialists can enhance care provision. * Nurse care managers believe the value of generalist services, particularly home care services, in the generalist-specialist palliative care partnership, needs to be understood and respected. * Tailored investment in home care to provide a general palliative approach would be beneficial given the unique challenges of this mobile workforce. Keywords: Palliative care;home care services;Education, Nursing;qualitative research;Nurse Practitioner BACKGROUND Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life of people affected by life-threatening illnesses, including the prevention and relief of suffering through identification, assessment and treatment.1 This care extends to family members, and encompasses physical, psychological, social and spiritual support. Home nursing and care organisations are key providers of community-based palliative care, with staff often the linchpin, in supporting palliative clients, organising and providing care, coordinating the input of other professionals and of specialist equipment.5 Previous research has identified the difficulties faced by home care nurses in meeting their clients' palliative care needs, such as symptom management and communication, as well as requirements for further training to enhance their knowledge and confidence of caring for palliative clients.5-7 In this context, generalist palliative care is delivered by health and care professionals with broad clinical responsibilities who provide primary, ongoing care;and have established relationships with the person and their care community.2 This is distinct from specialist palliative care services which support complex needs through multidisciplinary teams with specialised palliative care training. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Thematic analysis identified the following overarching themes: 1) targeted education increased staff knowledge and confidence, but more is needed;2) collaborative teamwork with effective communication and information sharing underpins a successful generalist-specialist partnership;3) the home care setting is unique and requires accessible systems and processes.

Effectiveness of a complex advance care planning intervention focusing on nursing home residents: first results of the cluster-randomized controlled BEVOR-trial

BackgroundFew trials on advance care planning (ACP) have investigated the clinical effect on care consistency with care preferences (3CP) in the nursing home (NH) setting.MethodsBEVOR is a multi-centre, cluster-randomized controlled trial aimed to improve 3CP in NH residents (09/2019–02/2023). A total of 44 NHs from 4 German regions were randomized either to the control group (n=24) or the intervention group (n=24). The complex ACP intervention comprised the offer to lead ACP conversations with qualified facilitators on the individual (resident) level and offers for organizational development and staff education on the institutional (NH) level. Educational ACP modules were offered to emergency medical services, hospitals and other regional players relevant for these residents' medical care.After a run-in phase of the intervention, which was extended due to the Covid19-pandemic from originally 9 to (up to) 18 months, the observation period was 12 months from September 2021 to August 2022. Primary outcome was defined as hospitalization rate, understood as a surrogate parameter for 3CP, collected as anonymous data from all residents of the participating NHs. Main secondary outcome is 3CP, taken from a subset of 892 residents (20.5%) who gave informed consent. To measure 3CP, treatment decisions in potentially life-threatening events (‘care delivered') were identified retrospectively every 3 months from the NH records. Correspondingly, ‘care preferences' were assessed retrospectively, integrating data from residents' files and interviews with residents, proxies and nurses, also taking into account the effected level of shared decision making. Analysis of the primary outcome follows the intention-to-treat principle.ResultsThe main outcomes will be available by the time of the acp-i conference.ConclusionResults of the BEVOR trial will give insights into possible clinical effects of a complex regional ACP intervention.

A cross-sectional study on the seroprevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody in patients with cancer from central Kerala

Background: Patients with cancer are vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases and relaxation of stringent COVID-19 protocols, assessment of the level of protective immunity to COVID-19 in patients with cancer has assumed importance. Objective(s): Our primary objective was to evaluate the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in patients with cancer. Material(s) and Method(s): We conducted a cross-sectional study on 100 patients with solid tumors attending our Oncology Department at the Believers Church Medical College, Kerala, India, between December 2020 and June 2021. Seroprevalence was assessed using the VITROS Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG test (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Rochester, NY, USA). Additionally, we assessed the factors associated with seropositivity and collected data regarding the general experience of patients with cancer during the pandemic. Result(s): The median age of the participants was 62 years (IQR, 53-69.8);52 (52%) were males. The seroprevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was 11% (95% CI, 4.8-17.1). Age < 50 years was the only factor that was significantly associated with a higher rate of COVID-19 antibodies (77% vs 8.9% in patients >= 50 years;P = 0.007), and sex, smoking, and the use of alcohol did not show any association. The majority (77/100, 77%) of the patients were worried about contracting COVID-19 infection;some even deferred cancer-directed treatment because of the fear of visiting health care settings. Conclusion(s): Low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in unvaccinated patients with cancer is a matter of concern as it indicates that many of these patients are still vulnerable to infection. There is an urgent need to continue implementing strict safety measures in oncology centers and to encourage widespread COVID-19 vaccination to prevent the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 among patients with cancer. (Funded by the institution, Believers Church Medical College, Kerala).Copyright © 2023 Neurology India, Neurological Society of India Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Palliative care, end-of-life care, and COVID-19: A scoping review / Cuidados paliativos, cuidados de fin de vida y COVID-19: revisión de alcance / Cuidados paliativos, cuidados em fim de vida e COVID-19: uma revisão do escopo

Introducción: La COVID-19 exacerbó el déficit en la prestación de cuidados paliativos y de fin de vida y aumentó la sobrecarga de los servicios de salud, pero se desconoce la extensión de la literatura sobre dicho tema. Objetivo: Describir la evidencia sobre la prestación de cuidados paliativos y de fin de vida en adultos durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Materiales y métodos: Revisión de alcance según el marco metodológico de Arksey y O'Malley. La búsqueda se realizó en inglés y español; en PubMed, Scielo, la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, y la base de datos de investigación en Coronavirus. Las publicaciones se filtraron por título, resumen y lectura completa. Los resultados se sintetizaron de acuerdo con la técnica "charting". Resultados: Se incluyeron 51 publicaciones. En total emergieron cinco categorías: 1) caracterización de los cuidados paliativos, 2) planificación avanzada de cuidados, 3) acompañamiento a familiares y seres queridos, 4) telesalud, 5) rol de enfermería en los cuidados paliativos. Discusión:: El coste social de la pandemia se refleja en el aumento en la carga de unidades de cuidados paliativos, mayor porcentaje de mortalidad y la disminución de la edad promedio de fallecimiento. Futuros estudios deben abordar el impacto psicosocial en los seres queridos de los pacientes, así como el impacto a nivel comunitario. Conclusión: Los cuidados paliativos y de fin de vida constituyen una herramienta fundamental para la atención de pacientes con COVID-19. La pandemia potenció el desarrollo de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones para la prestación de cuidados paliativos.

Introduction:COVID-19 exacerbated the deficit of palliative and end-of-life care provision and increased healthcare services' burden, but the extent of the literature on that topic is unknown. Objetive: To describe the evidence of palliative and end-of-life care provision in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods:The scoping review was performed according to Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The search was conducted in English and Spanish, in PubMed, SciELO, the Virtual Health Library, and the Coronavirus research database. The articles were filtered by title, abstract, and full text. The results were summarized according to the charting technique. Results: Fifty-one publications were included. A total of five categories emerged: 1) Palliative care characteristics, 2) advanced care planning, 3) support for family members and loved ones, 4) telehealth, and 5) nursing role in palliative care. Discussion:The social cost of the pandemic is reflected in the increased burden of palliative care units, higher mortality rates, and the decreased average age of death. Future studies should address the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on patients' loved ones, as well as the impact at the community level. Conclusions: Palliative and end-of-life care is an essential tool for COVID-19 patients care. The pandemic has enhanced the development of information and communication technologies to deliver palliative care.

Introdução: A COVID-19 exacerbou o déficit na prestação de cuidados paliativos e em fim de vida e aumentou a sobrecarga sobre os serviços de saúde, mas a extensão da literatura sobre tal tópico é desconhecida. Objetivo: Descrever as evidências sobre a prestação de cuidados paliativos e de fim de vida em adultos durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Materiais e Métodos: Revisão do escopo de acordo com a estrutura metodológica de Arksey e O'Malley. A pesquisa foi realizada em inglês e espanhol; PubMed, Scielo, a Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde e o banco de dados de pesquisa do Coronavirus. As publicações foram filtradas por título, resumo e texto completo. Os resultados foram sintetizados de acordo com a técnica gráfica. Resultados: 51 publicações foram incluídas. No total, surgiram cinco categorias: 1) caracterização dos cuidados paliativos, 2) planejamento de cuidados avançados, 3) acompanhamento de parentes e entes queridos, 4) telesaúde, 5) papel de enfermagem nos cuidados paliativos. Discussão: O custo social da pandemia se reflete no aumento da carga sobre as unidades de cuidados paliativos, maiores taxas de mortalidade e uma diminuição da idade média de morte. Estudos futuros devem abordar o impacto psicossocial sobre os entes queridos dos pacientes, bem como o impacto a nível comunitário. Conclusões: Os cuidados paliativos e de fim de vida são uma ferramenta fundamental para o cuidado de pacientes com COVID-19. A pandemia tem melhorado o desenvolvimento das tecnologias de informação e comunicação para o fornecimento de cuidados paliativos.

Towards a Dignified Death: A New Approach to Care for People Using Substances Who Are at, or Near, the End of Their Lives.

There are no effective intervention studies for people using substances who are at, or near, the end of their lives. The needs of this group of people have been consistently overlooked even within the literature that identifies marginalised groups of people in need of greater recognition in palliative and end-of-life care. The aims of the project were to: (i) determine what a new, co-produced, model of care should look like for people using substances needing palliative and end-of-life care, and (ii) establish whether the new model had the potential to improve people's access to, and experience of, end-of-life care. This paper presents the development of the new approach to care. It was developed using participatory action research principles over a course of online workshops during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period in the UK. A theory of change that aims to inform future policy and practice development is presented. While the ambition of the research was stunted by the pandemic, the process of its development and dissemination of the model and its resources has continued. Response from participants highlighted the importance of this work, however, in this new field of policy and practice, preparatory work that engages a wide range of stakeholders is crucial to its success. This relationship building and topic engagement are major parts of implementation before more substantial and sustainable development goals can be met.

The underrepresentation of palliative care in global guidelines for responding to infectious disease outbreaks: a systematic narrative review.

BACKGROUND: The importance of palliative care provision has been highlighted in previous humanitarian emergencies. This review aimed to examine the breadth and depth of palliative care inclusion within global guidelines for responding to infectious disease outbreaks. METHODS: The review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Electronic searches of MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, PsychInfo and grey literature were performed. Inclusion criteria were guidelines (recommendations for clinical practice or public health policy) for responding to infectious disease outbreaks in the general adult population. Results were limited to the English language, between 1 January 2010 and 17 August 2020. Analysis of the included articles involved assessing the breadth (number of palliative care domains covered) and depth (detail with which the domains were addressed) of palliative care inclusion. RESULTS: A total of 584 articles were retrieved and 43 met the inclusion criteria. Two additional articles were identified through handsearching. There was limited inclusion of palliative care in the guidelines examined. CONCLUSIONS: There is an opportunity for the development of guidelines that include information on palliative care implementation in the context of infectious disease outbreaks in order to reduce the suffering of key vulnerable populations worldwide.