Author Description

The first edition of this book was highly acclaimed and became the definitive text in the area. Its successor has been substantially enlarged, revised and improved. New chapters cover the provision and economics of palliative care, measurement of pain and other symptoms, principles of drug use, interventional radiology, asthenia, pruritus and sweating, pediatric palliative care, AIDS in children, and multiprofessional education. A number of chapters have been completely or substantially re-written. Over 100 European and North American experts contribute to this edition, many for the first time. The Textbook's wide-ranging approach details every aspect of palliative care--physical, emotional, social and spiritual--in both research and practice. Sections examine the scientific principles underlying the subject, and offer a thorough review of the current status of research in the field. Besides emphasizing the emotional and psychological needs of the dying, the book considers the suffering of the family and discusses bereavement, support, the involvement of relatives, and the issue of domiciliary care. Other chapters cover the ethical aspects of care, rehabilitation, and the education and training of health professionals. Although based on practice in the developed world, the growing relevance of palliative care in the developing world is stressed throughout.