Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025
Rectal Organoid Morphology Analysis ROMA: A Diagnostic Assay in Cystic Fibrosis
Published on: June 10, 2022
The Need for Pediatric Palliative Care in Romania: A Retrospective Study (2022-2023) Based on Quantitative Research
Mihaela Hizanu Dumitrache1, Mădălina Duceac Covrig1, Dana Elena Mîndru2
1Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galați, RO-800008 Galați, Romania.
Insights
Estimating pediatric palliative care needs in Romania identified 14,499 children requiring services. Significant disparities exist across age, diagnosis, and location, highlighting an urgent need for policy and resource allocation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Palliative Care
- Public Health Policy
- Healthcare Disparities
Background:
- Estimating pediatric palliative care needs is vital for addressing disparities in care for children with life-threatening conditions.
- The need for pediatric palliative care in Romania is insufficiently quantified, hindering policy development.
- Accurate estimates are essential for assessing the true extent of need and informing policy responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the need for pediatric palliative care in Romania for the 2022-2023 period.
- To analyze the distribution of pediatric palliative care needs across different demographic and diagnostic groups.
- To provide data supporting the development of targeted policies and resource allocation for pediatric palliative care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study design.
- Analysis of secondary data from General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) in all Romanian counties and Bucharest.
- Focus on life-limiting conditions as defined by WHO Annex 3, Order no. 253/2018.
Main Results:
- Identified 14,499 pediatric cases with palliative care needs in Romania.
- Demonstrated a highly uneven national distribution of need across diagnostic groups and age categories.
- Observed a higher number of cases in rural (7553) compared to urban (6946) areas, with only 50 existing pediatric palliative care beds.
Conclusions:
- A substantial and unevenly distributed need for pediatric palliative care exists in Romania.
- Notable disparities in need were identified across age groups, diagnostic categories, and urban-rural settings.
- The findings underscore the urgent necessity for targeted policies and adequate resources to ensure equitable access to pediatric palliative care services.
Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Estimating the need for palliative care for children is a crucial step in addressing the needs of children facing life-threatening conditions, while providing a powerful argument to combat unacceptably wide disparities in access to care. The need for palliative care for children in Romania remains insufficiently quantified. More accurate estimates are indispensable to assess the true extent of need and to support adequate policy responses. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the need for pediatric palliative care in Romania for 2022-2023. We analyzed secondary data obtained from the General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) in 41 counties and the six sectors of Bucharest. The analysis focused on life-limiting conditions as defined by the WHO Annex 3, Order no. 253/2018. Results: The study identified 14,499 pediatric cases with palliative care needs, showing a highly uneven national distribution, especially across diagnostic groups and age categories. We observed a higher number of cases in rural areas (7553) compared with urban areas (6946). Our own data do not include resource estimates; however, prior reports indicate only 50 palliative care beds for children in Romania. Conclusions: This study reveals a substantial and unevenly distributed need for pediatric palliative care in Romania, with notable disparities across age groups, diagnostic categories, and urban-rural areas. The identification of 14,499 eligible cases underscores the urgency of developing targeted policies and allocating adequate resources to ensure equitable access to specialized palliative services for all children in need.
More Related Videos
09:18Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Published on: January 12, 2019
06:15Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
01:25Continuing Care
01:25Statistical Methods for Analyzing Epidemiological Data
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
01:29Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care