Life Review Interventions in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review of Patient-Centered Outcomes

BackgroundLife Review Interventions (LRI) are gaining attention in palliative care as a therapeutic approach to support psychological and spiritual needs. However, their effectiveness remains uncertain.ObjectivesThis systematic review aimed to analyze the effects of LRI in adults with advanced chronic or terminal illness receiving palliative or end-of-life care.MethodsMEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for English-language articles (2018-2024). Included studies involved adults with advanced chronic illness receiving any form of LRI; control groups, where applicable, received usual care. Primary outcomes were symptom burden, spiritual well-being (SWB), and quality of life (QOL). Studies were critically appraised. Due to heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was conducted. The review was registered in PROSPERO.ResultsEight studies were included, most of moderate to high methodological quality. Half were conducted in North America, with the remainder from Europe and Asia. The total sample comprised 598 participants, 89% of whom had cancer. The review identified eight distinct LRI, each with varying formats and delivery methods. For symptom-related outcomes (n = 8), four studies reported significant improvements in anxiety, depression, or general well-being. For SWB (n = 6), three studies demonstrated positive effects. Regarding QOL (n = 4), only one study showed meaningful improvement; the others found no significant change.ConclusionsLRI may provide psychological and spiritual benefits in palliative and end-of-life care. However, current evidence for their effectiveness in improving QOL is limited, highlighting the need for further high-quality research.