Telephone-Based Psychological Care During the 2020 Lockdown in Spain and Protocol for Data Collection.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the General Council of Psychology in Spain, together with the regional Official Colleges of Psychology, launched the Psychological Care Telephone Program (PCTP) to provide mental health services to the population. METHOD: The aim of the present study was to perform a descriptive analysis of the PCTP by analysing the data collected during the lockdown and at the 12-month follow-up, and to develop a brief protocol designed to standardise data collection procedures. RESULTS: A total of 10,119 inbound telephone calls were made to the PCTP from March to May 2020, and 337 follow-up calls at 12 months. The most common reasons for contacting the PCTP were to consult for symptoms of anxiety (66.8%), depression (30.5%), and/or family problems (13.9%). At the 12-month follow-up, many users experienced anxiety (38%), depressive (35%), and panic (34%) symptoms. More than half of users reported using psychopharmacological medicines. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the need to offer the population telephone-based mental health consultations during times of crisis. It also shows the importance of systematising intervention and data collection procedures for future crises. We propose a data collection protocol for use with emergency telephone psychological assistance programmes.

Using the Delphi technique to achieve consensus on bereavement care in palliative care in Europe: An EAPC White Paper.

BACKGROUND: The WHO definition of palliative care includes bereavement support as integral to palliative care, yet a previous survey of bereavement support in palliative care in Europe has shown a range of service responses to loss. A rigorous approach to agreeing and implementing a palliative care bereavement framework was required. AIM: The aim of this study was to develop consensus on best-practice recommendations for bereavement care principles, structures, processes and delivery based on current practice and evidence. DESIGN: In accordance with Guidance on Conducting and Reporting Delphi Studies, a consensus-building five-round Delphi technique was performed. A scoping review of research literature informed drafting of 54 statements by the EAPC Bereavement Task Force. Evaluation of the statements was performed by an expert panel using a 5-point Likert scale. ⩾80% agreement were defined as essential items and 75%-79% agreement were defined as desirable items. Items with a consensus rating <75% were revised during the process. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: The Delphi study was carried out by an expert panel among membership organisations of the European Association for Palliative Care. RESULTS: In total, 376 email requests to complete Delphi questionnaire were distributed with a response rate of 23% (n = 87) and a follow-up response-rate of 79% (n = 69). Of the initial 54 statements in six dimensions, 52 statements were endorsed with 26 essential statements and 26 desirable statements. CONCLUSIONS: The six dimensions and 52 statements agreed through this Delphi study clarify a coherent direction for development of bereavement services in palliative care in Europe.

Ideación autolítica al final de la vida en pacientes oncológicos paliativos: a propósito de un caso / Autolytic ideation at the end-life in palliative oncological patients: care report

La enfermedad oncológica avanzada produce en los enfermos una serie de síntomas frecuentemente invalidantes y molestos que pueden provocar gran malestar psicológico tanto en el paciente como en la familia. En este contexto, incluso a pesar de un aceptable control sintomático, los pacientes pueden presentar ideación autolítica. Esta situación es de gran complejidad y de difícil manejo tanto para la familia como para el equipo sanitario asistencial, donde cuestiones éticas, morales, espirituales-religiosas y legales confluyen. Los aspectos referidos pueden ser complementarios pero otros no, pudiendo, de esta manera quebrantar el principio de autonomía del paciente en la medida que los deseos personales del mismo pueden comprometer el plan de actuación del equipo sanitario que le atiende. En este artículo, se expone la experiencia vivida en nuestro servicio ante un paciente con ideas francas de suicidio y las actuaciones que se llevaron a cabo, así como las reflexiones que esta situación generó. Finalmente, se proponen algunas recomendaciones consensuadas con juristas y expertos en Bioética (AU)

The development of the illness in oncology patients produces a series of uncomfortable and frequently annoying symptoms that can cause significant psychological distress in both patients and their relatives. Under these circumstances, the patients can experience autolytic ideation, even when acceptable symptomatic controls are in place. This situation is of great complexity and of difficult handling both for the family and for the medical care team as they have to deal with various ethical, moral spiritual and legal questions. These aspect can be complementary to existing ones,, but others will not be. This situation can conflict with the principle of autonomy of the patient, in the sense that his/her personal desires may compromise or even jeopardize the action plan of the medical team that looks after the patient In this clinical note, we share the experience lived in our service regarding a patient with the idea of committing suicide and the actions that were carried out. Finally, some recommendation agreed with lawyers and experts in Bioethics are suggested (AU)

Unrealistic optimism and perceived control: role of personal competence.

This work analyzed the effects of unrealistic optimism in the interaction between the emotional valence of future events, the perception of control over these events, and the person with whom one compares oneself. It was hypothesized that, if the person of comparison is judged as very competent, a pessimistic bias should be produced. Likelihood of four different types of events (positive and controllable, positive and uncontrollable, negative and controllable, and negative and uncontrollable) were rated by 133 university students (22 men and 111 women) for themselves, for an average student, for their best friend, and for a bright friend. A pessimistic bias was observed on the relative likelihood of the events when the comparison was made between oneself and a competent and bright friend, when events were perceived as controllable, especially positive ones. Not enough is known, however, to provide meaningful interpretation at present; that must await further data and theoretical development.