How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis
Background: Videoconferencing (also known as telehealth) is part of digitally enabled healthcare provision (‘eHealth’) and its use in palliative care practice is increasing. There is uncertainty and limited evidence to guide organisations in how to use this technology to provide emotional support fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251363271 |
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| author | Michèle J. M. Wood Amara Callistus Nwosu David Dinham Nicole Seneque Catherine Walshe |
| author_facet | Michèle J. M. Wood Amara Callistus Nwosu David Dinham Nicole Seneque Catherine Walshe |
| author_sort | Michèle J. M. Wood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Videoconferencing (also known as telehealth) is part of digitally enabled healthcare provision (‘eHealth’) and its use in palliative care practice is increasing. There is uncertainty and limited evidence to guide organisations in how to use this technology to provide emotional support for patients, caregivers and the bereaved. Objectives: How, why, and in which circumstances can videoconferencing be used to successfully meet the emotional support needs of adults receiving palliative care? Design: Realist synthesis of literature was conducted according to RAMESES guidelines. Data sources and methods: Evidence of research studies and practice descriptions about successful emotional support interventions in palliative care by videoconferencing were identified from six databases (AMED, Medline, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, TRIP, Overton.io) and Google searching on16th January 2023. Normalisation Process Theory guided analysis and synthesis proceeded iteratively through retroductive reasoning. Results: Synthesis of 13 eligible sources (9 empirical studies and 4 practitioners’ perspectives) generated 10 context-mechanism-outcome configurations and 5 hypothetical explanations for successful videoconferencing interventions. Potential causative links were made connecting social isolation, financial, educational and relational resourcing, and feelings of self-confidence, fear, or desires for belonging. Conclusion: Emotional support by videoconferencing in adult palliative care is feasible when it addresses feelings of isolation and maintains patient/carer engagement with services. It depends on stakeholders being motivated and resourced to adapt and innovate interventions appropriate for those with least familiarity or access to technology. To be successful staff need leadership and organisational cultures that enhance their professional self-worth and technical competencies, that foster inter-agency collaborations and mitigate digital exclusion of service users. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c82d0477e3a144dcbc01e4c7e5eba9af |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2632-3524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-c82d0477e3a144dcbc01e4c7e5eba9af2025-08-20T04:01:01ZengSAGE PublishingPalliative Care and Social Practice2632-35242025-08-011910.1177/26323524251363271How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesisMichèle J. M. Wood0Amara Callistus Nwosu1David Dinham2Nicole Seneque3Catherine Walshe4Marie Curie, London, UKMarie Curie Hospice, Liverpool, UKSpectrum Centre for Mental Health, Lancaster University, UKMarie Curie, London, UKInternational Observatory on End of Life Care, Lancaster University, UKBackground: Videoconferencing (also known as telehealth) is part of digitally enabled healthcare provision (‘eHealth’) and its use in palliative care practice is increasing. There is uncertainty and limited evidence to guide organisations in how to use this technology to provide emotional support for patients, caregivers and the bereaved. Objectives: How, why, and in which circumstances can videoconferencing be used to successfully meet the emotional support needs of adults receiving palliative care? Design: Realist synthesis of literature was conducted according to RAMESES guidelines. Data sources and methods: Evidence of research studies and practice descriptions about successful emotional support interventions in palliative care by videoconferencing were identified from six databases (AMED, Medline, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, TRIP, Overton.io) and Google searching on16th January 2023. Normalisation Process Theory guided analysis and synthesis proceeded iteratively through retroductive reasoning. Results: Synthesis of 13 eligible sources (9 empirical studies and 4 practitioners’ perspectives) generated 10 context-mechanism-outcome configurations and 5 hypothetical explanations for successful videoconferencing interventions. Potential causative links were made connecting social isolation, financial, educational and relational resourcing, and feelings of self-confidence, fear, or desires for belonging. Conclusion: Emotional support by videoconferencing in adult palliative care is feasible when it addresses feelings of isolation and maintains patient/carer engagement with services. It depends on stakeholders being motivated and resourced to adapt and innovate interventions appropriate for those with least familiarity or access to technology. To be successful staff need leadership and organisational cultures that enhance their professional self-worth and technical competencies, that foster inter-agency collaborations and mitigate digital exclusion of service users.https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251363271 |
| spellingShingle | Michèle J. M. Wood Amara Callistus Nwosu David Dinham Nicole Seneque Catherine Walshe How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| title | How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis |
| title_full | How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis |
| title_fullStr | How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis |
| title_full_unstemmed | How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis |
| title_short | How, when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful? A realist synthesis |
| title_sort | how when and why is emotional support delivered using videoconferencing by adult palliative care services successful a realist synthesis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251363271 |
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