A nominal group technique study conducted with stakeholders in Nigeria identified mental health and emotional support, healthcare provider education, and pediatric palliative care as the top three research priorities for palliative care in the country. For clinical practice, the top priority identified was multidisciplinary care, followed by breaking bad news and caregiver well-being, which tied for second place, while pain management skills ranked in fourth place.
To establish these rankings, researchers employed a Nominal Group Technique to gather insights from a diverse group of stakeholders across the healthcare sector. The participant group included palliative care providers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, students, and caregivers of patients. Participants identified and ranked the most critical areas for research and clinical practice, and the collected data were analyzed qualitatively to extract common themes and rank priorities based on importance and relevance.
The study highlighted existing challenges confronting palliative care delivery across Nigeria, noting that services face constraints from limited resources, inadequate healthcare provider education, and minimal integration into the national healthcare system. Furthermore, participants identified the lack of a cohesive national policy framework and insufficient public awareness as significant barriers to effective palliative care delivery for patients with life-limiting illnesses.
According to the authors, these stakeholder-informed priorities provide a preliminary agenda for advancing palliative care services across Nigeria. The study concluded that targeted interventions, policy reforms, and multidisciplinary collaboration are required to address existing obstacles and translate these priorities into practice, working toward ensuring comprehensive and compassionate palliative care for all Nigerians in need.
Subject of Research: Palliative care research and clinical practice priorities in Nigeria
Article Title: Identifying top research and clinical practice priorities for palliative care in Nigeria: a nominal group technique
Article References: Onyeka, T., Uwa-Robinson, K., Itanyi, I. U., Ndukwu, G., Eke, G., Yakubu, S., Akinwale, M. O., Ogbenna, A., Salawu, M., Degri, J., Shoyemi, R., & for Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria (2026). Identifying top research and clinical practice priorities for palliative care in Nigeria: a nominal group technique. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-026-02404-6
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12904-026-02404-6
Keywords: palliative care, Nigeria, nominal group technique, clinical practice priorities, pediatric palliative care, caregiver well-being, multidisciplinary care, healthcare provider education, Identifying, research, clinical, practice
