This study aimed to evaluate the evidence of validity and accuracy for the Mindful Self-Care Scale-Brief (B-MSCS) in Brazil among family caregivers of people with cancer.

This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 203 family caregivers of people with cancer. The instruments used in this study were the following: B-MSCS, Brief Resilience Scale, and Brief Scale for Spiritual/Religious Coping. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out using the principal axis factoring method and direct oblimin oblique rotation, and confirmatory factor analysis using the robust weighted least squares means and variance adjusted estimation method and GEOMIM oblique rotation. The internal consistency of the latent factors was measured using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients.

The 6-factor model showed good fit to the data, with satisfactory reliability indices and adequate representation of the scale’s internal structure. The results that can support arguments in favor of validity evidence based on internal structure for the B-MSCS-Brazilian version (BR) relate to a 19-item version which, grouped into 6 latent factors, explained 46.47% of the variance. The factor solution reproduced 79.2% of the theoretically expected structure and 5 items were excluded. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the factors in the B-MSCS-BR ranged from 0.58 to 0.84. Positive religious/spiritual coping had a direct association with the B-MSCS-BR factors, with the exception of the Physical Care factor (r = 0.033, p = 0.635). Negative spiritual/religious coping was inversely associated with the Mindful Relaxation (r = −0.160, p = 0.023), Supportive Relationships (r = −0.142, p = 0.043), and Mindful Awareness factors (r = −0.140, p = 0.045). There were no associations between the B-MSCS-BR factors and resilience.

The findings reveal that the B-MSCS (19-item) is a valid, reliable, and culturally-appropriate instrument to examine the practice of mindful self-care by family caregivers of people with cancer in Brazil.

To explore the expectations of Brazilian and German patients regarding metastatic cancer and palliative chemotherapy.

Interviews with 48 metastatic cancer patients from Brazil and Germany were conducted. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis approach to identify common themes. The sociodemographic data were collected using an instrument developed by the authors.

A total of 48 patients participated in the study (58% were Brazilian and 42% were German). Of all participants, 35% were men and 65% were women. The participants’ mean age was 41 years. The general idea captured from the interviewees’ speech was that their diseases were curable or “while there is chemotherapy, there is life”; thus, the data analysis enabled the elaboration of the central theme, entitled “Mistaken expectations of metastatic cancer patients regarding palliative chemotherapy: While there is chemotherapy, there is life,” with 5 subthemes, namely: (1) communication and expectations; (2) normal life; (3) the person behind the disease; (4) religiosity and spirituality; and (5) the fortitude to choose between continuing or discontinuing treatment.

Regardless of cultural aspects, patients with metastatic cancer on palliative chemotherapy tend to believe in the healing potential of treatments. Dividing expectations only into curable or incurable is insufficient, as even patients who have acknowledged the incurability of their disease expect to live, as long as they remain under treatment as if the disease did not exist.

This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS, 33-item) in a Brazilian hospice and palliative care context.

This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 336 Brazilian hospice and palliative care providers. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer — Quality of Life Group Translation Procedure protocol was used for the translation and the cultural adaptation process. Psychometric properties supporting the use of the MSCS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlation analysis with other instruments to assess congruence to related constructs (resilience and self-compassion). The reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the MSCS was assessed using Cronbach's α and composite reliability coefficients.

The six-factor (33-item) model showed a good fit to the data, with satisfactory reliability indices and adequate representation of the scale's internal structure. Further validity is evidenced in the significant, positive correlations found between the MSCS, and similar well-being constructs, namely the Self-Compassion and Resilience scales.

The findings reveal that the MSCS (33-item) is a valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate instrument to examine the practice of mindful self-care by hospice and palliative care providers in Brazil. More broadly, it represents a promising instrument for future research into self-care practices and well-being among Brazilian healthcare providers.

This study aimed to investigate the association between professional characteristics and the prevalence of advance directives among palliative care professionals.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A diverse sample of 327 healthcare professionals completed an online survey investigating demographic variables, length of time working in palliative care, post-graduate qualifications in palliative care, and development of their own advance directives.

The prevalence of advance directives among professionals working in palliative care was associated with factors such as higher academic qualifications, holding a post-graduate qualification in palliative care, and working in palliative care for a longer time. Furthermore, psychologists were most likely to have registered their own advance directives, compared with other healthcare professionals.

Post-graduate palliative care education and professional experience in this area appear to be important factors associated with palliative care professionals writing of their own advance directives. However, our study suggests that just being involved in or familiar with the context of palliative and end-of-life care does not guarantee that health professionals register their advance directives.

The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically evaluate the Brazilian version of the “End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey” (BR-EPCS).

This is an observational cross-sectional study. The sample was composed of 285 Brazilian healthcare professionals who work or worked in the palliative care area. A minimum number of 280 participants were established, following the recommendation of 10 subjects for each instrument item. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer — Quality of Life Group Translation Procedure protocol was used for the translation and the cultural adaptation. For the precise/reliable evaluation of factors measured by the BR-EPCS, Cronbach's alpha (α) and composite reliability coefficients were used. The factorial analyses were made by means of the exploratory structural equation modeling methods and confirmatory factor analysis. We have conducted a multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the sociodemographic variables' capabilities in the result prediction measured by BR-EPCS factors.

The factorial analysis showed the relevance of two factors: Factor 1 — “Given care effectiveness” (18 items; Cronbach's α = 0.94; Composite Reliability = 0.95) and Factor 2 — “Mourning and ethical and cultural values” (10 items; Cronbach's α = 0.89; Composite Reliability = 0.88). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the working time, sex, palliative care training, and its own advance directives are predictors of the constructs assessed by the BR-EPCS.

The BR-EPCS is a reliable, valid, and culturally appropriate tool to identify the educational needs of healthcare professionals who work with palliative care. This instrument can be used for educational and research reasons.