Protocol for scoping review : guidelines and standards for palliative care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Article indépendant

GHOSHAL, Arun | KASHYAP, Komal | VISWANATH, Vidya | SUNDARARAJ, Jenifer Jeba | KHAN JOAD, Anjum S. | BHATNAGAR, Sushma

Palliative care plays an essential role in alleviating suffering and enhancing the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Significant disparities exist in the quality of palliative care services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where healthcare resources are constrained. This scoping review aims to systematically map and evaluate the existing guidelines and standards governing palliative care in LMICs, identify gaps, and highlight challenges in implementing these frameworks. By synthesizing the literature, this review will offer evidence-based recommendations to improve policy, clinical practice, and the accessibility of palliative care services in resource-limited settings. A scoping review methodology will be applied, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework, to systematically search and review the literature on palliative care guidelines and standards from databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. The review will include peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, and policy documents published between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2023. Studies will be selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The extracted data will be synthesized using thematic analysis to identify common themes, gaps, and innovative practices in palliative care across LMICs. This scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of palliative care standards and guidelines in LMICs. It will identify and summarize the standards developed and implemented in low-resource settings. It will explore gaps in resource allocation, training, access to essential medications, and integrating palliative care into national health systems. The findings will inform future research, policies, and clinical practice to enhance palliative care services in LMICs and contribute to the global discourse on palliative care provision in resource-limited contexts.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09699260.2025.2484064

Voir la revue «PROGRESS IN PALLIATIVE CARE»

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