Abstract

Children with terminal cancer suffer from prevalent sleep disorders and poor quality of life. This systematic review assesses non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in this susceptible group. First, a systematic search in electronic databases provided various studies that could be included. The chosen interventions were cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based intervention, and environmental changes. This review is intended to summarize the evidence available so far, identify strengths and weaknesses of specific investigations, and outline recommendations for further studies in this field.

Introduction

Sleep disturbances are widespread among pediatric cancer patients suffering from terminal disease, which influences their physical and emotional well-being as well as posing difficulties to the patient’s families and healthcare providers. Acknowledging the complexity of sleep disruptions, increasing research attention is shifting to identifying novel non-pharmacological interventions. This movement is motivated by side problems connected with pharmacological approaches and a more general commitment to holism. Our goal in this systematic review is to critically explore and appraise the effectiveness of different non-pharmacological interventions in improving sleep outcomes among children who face such a grim situation as terminal cancer (Namisango et al. 49). By doing so, we hope to contribute our brick-in-building knowledge to better the lives of these children and their families during a challenging period.

Methods

Search Strategy

A well-defined search plan was carried out for a thorough literature review in renowned electronic databases like PubMed PsychINFO and the Cochrane Library. The search strategy utilized good combinations of terms critical to ensure that all relevant studies are captured. With the choice of search terms obtained, we had a perfectly balanced combination of constituent elements (words “children,” “terminal cancer,” “sleep disturbances,” and” non-pharmacological interventions”) to catch all studies devoted to children with terminal cancer sleep disorders practicing alternative measures. This intentional timeframe was selected to capture the changing landscape of non-pharmacological interventions and their uses in addressing sleep disruption among children with terminal cancer. By focusing on this timeframe, we sought to present an up-to-date comprehensive literature review that recognizes the changing nature of research when addressing such a delicate and developing subject matter. This conceptual control premised on strict search words and an established time limit underpins the other stages of this systematic review. Thus, the guiding systematic and comprehensive search strategy is crucial for our inclusivity of relevant studies in assessing non-pharmacological interventions to enhance sleep outcomes among children with terminal cancer.

Inclusion Criteria

Studies included in the selection process had specifically aimed at non-pharmacological interventions for improving sleep quality of children between 0-18 years diagnosed with terminal cancer. Our selection criteria also focused on the strength of the methodology, which includes only RCTs and quasi-experimental studies. This purposive choice sought to achieve a more excellent standard of evidence and experimental solid designs, recognizing the applied complexity involved in research with this vulnerable group. The included studies were also required to conduct a thorough assessment based on quantified sleep outcomes. This severe criterion was adopted to allow for an objective and quantifiable evaluation of the efficacy of the interventions in question. Recognizing that empirical evidence is essential for making clinical decisions and advancing the understanding of non-pharmacological strategies in pediatric terminal cancers, we emphasized studies that included quantitative sleep outcome measures, such as interventions to enhance precision and reliability results (Bhardwaj and Jonathan, 45). The studies that were used for our systematic review met some tight criteria, focusing on non-pharmacological interventions designed primarily to address the quality of sleep in children with advanced terminal cancer. In order to ensure greater methodological rigor of our review, contributing effectively towards the improved base for evidence-informed clinical practice in the particularly challenging pediatric palliative care setting, we specifically targeted RCTs and quasi-experimental designs while prioritizing quantitative measurement of sleep outcomes.

Data Extraction and Analysis

Two independent and professional revie