Organization of pediatric palliative care in health systems around the world: a systematic review

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the organization of palliative pediatric care in health systems around the world drawing on the results of a systematic review. Searches conducted in the LILACS, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases yielded 1,655 articles, of which 28 were included. Three main areas emerged from the analysis: care provided to children and families; the integration of pediatric palliative care into health systems; and coordination between different levels of care. Care encompassed physical, social, emotional and spiritual care in the face of suffering, with an emphasis on home and hospital care, multidisciplinary teams, volunteer initiatives, consultations and telehealth services. The most challenging aspect was coordination between different levels of care. The findings contribute to understanding the overall organization of palliative pediatric care, providing insights that can help strengthen this area in Brazil.