Achieving Global Pediatric Palliative Care Equity—What We Have Yet to Learn

Menée à partir des données d'une enquête réalisée sur la période 2020-2021 dans 17 pays d'Amérique latine auprès de 874 médecins traitant des enfants atteints d'un cancer, cette étude évalue les perceptions des médecins concernant les soins palliatifs pédiatriques et leur facilité à les dispenser

Résumé en anglais

Injustice arises when equity is not a central consideration in health care interventions—a reality made more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatric palliative care is a proven intervention that enhances care and is associated with decreased suffering for children with serious illness and their families. However, nearly two-thirds of countries lack access to pediatric palliative care despite a clear need. Children in low- and middle-income countries experience disproportionately high illness-related morbidity and mortality, an inequity highlighted in pediatric cancer. More than 80% of US children with cancer will survive 5 years, compared with less than 30% of children with cancer living in low- and middle-income countries; this injustice is more striking when considering that more than 80% of global pediatric cancer cases occur in these countries. For children with cancer living in low- and middle-income countries, improving integration of pediatric palliative care is just as crucial as improving access to life-extending therapies to decrease family suffering and improve quality of life.