Investigação em cuidados paliativos em Portugal

The goal of the present study is to analyze the amount and type of research conducted in our country over the past six years, between 2005 and 2010, in the palliative care domain. We reviewed the articles published in national and international journals, oral presentations and posters at conferences, also national and international, and studies of academic nature (master dissertations and doctoral theses). We found that during the period selected 344 studies were carried out. The analysis showed that: (1) the number of studies has been increasing along that period, especially in the years when the national congress of palliative care is held; (2) the number of publications (papers) is relatively small, especially in international journals; (3) the majority of the studies is theoretical (reviews and reflections), and the use of experimental methodology is relatively recent; (4) the issue “medical care” (procedures; pharmacological intervention) is the most covered in the different types of studies, and (5) the interest in measuring instruments / scales related to the field of palliative care (quality of life, satisfaction, pain, ...) has increased greatly in recent years.