The use of non-pharmacological interventions for the comfort of patients in palliative care: a scoping review protocol.

REVIEW QUESTION / OBJECTIVE The objective of this scoping review is to examine and map the non-pharmacological interventions implemented and evaluated to provide comfort in palliative care. More specifically, the review will focus on the following questions: What non-pharmacological interventions have been implemented and evaluated to provide comfort in patients with incurable and advanced diseases? What are the characteristics (duration, dose and frequency) of these interventions? In what contexts (home care, palliative care unit or hospice) are the non-pharmacological interventions implemented and evaluated? In which populations (cancer and non-cancer patients) are the non-pharmacological interventions implemented and evaluated? INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of participants This scoping review will consider all studies that focus on patients with incurable and advanced disease, 18 years or over, assisted by palliative care teams. Context This scoping review will consider all non-pharmacological interventions implemented and evaluated in the context of palliative care. This will include specifically home care, hospices or palliative care units. Types of sources This scoping review will consider quantitative, qualitative studies and systematic reviews. Quantitative designs include any experimental study designs (including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, or other quasi-experimental studies, including before and after studies), and observational designs (descriptive studies, cohort studies, cross sectional studies, case studies and case series studies). Qualitative designs include any studies that focus on qualitative data such as, but not limited to, phenomenology, grounded theory and ethnography designs. Systematic reviews include meta-analysis and meta-syntheses.