Palliative care in severe mental disorders: a scoping review

The WHO defines palliative care (PC) as an approach to improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Within this context, palliative psychiatry (PP) emerges. The present study undertakes a scoping review of research on the applicability of PC in people with severe mental disorders.

Nine online databases were used to identify articles published without time or language restrictions, from which 17 records were selected. These records originated from eight countries and covered eight psychiatric diagnostic groups.

A descriptive synthesis of the eligible studies was conducted, which were then analysed using content analysis techniques. From the thematic analysis, three main themes emerged: general aspects of PP, critical reflections on the application of care and the strategies employed in this field.

Despite the growing definition of PP, the literature remains scarce, with few studies focused on PC for psychiatric disorders, leading to a neglect of such care. There is a significant demand for more empirical research and diverse approaches that include narratives and evaluations from patients and their families.

The protocol for this review was registered on the Open Science Framework platform under the DOI number: 10.17605/OSF.IO/3ZVN5.