Table 2 Databases searched with search strategy

Medline via EBSCOhost

- palliat*

- hospice*

- terminal care

- terminal care/ (not exploded)

- palliative care/

- palliative medicine/

- randomi*ed. controlled trial*

- randomised controlled trial/ (publication and topic)

- limits: human, 01/01/2010 to 08/10/2016,Randomised Controlled Trials

PsycINFO via EBSCOhost

- palliat*

- hospice*

- terminal care

- palliative care/

- terminally ill patients/

- terminal cancer/

- clinical trials/

- randomi*ed. controlled trial*

- limits 01/01/2010 to 08/10/2016, clinical trial, human.

CINHAL via EBSCOhost

- palliat*

- hospice*

- terminal care

- palliative care/

- terminal care/ (not exploded),

- Randomi*ed. Controlled Trial*,

- Clinical Trials/ (exploded),

- randomised controlled trial/

- limits 01/01/2010 to 08/10/2016, human and exclude Medline

Embase via Ovid

- palliat*

- hospice*

- terminal care

- exp. palliative therapy/

- terminal care/

- randomi*ed. controlled*

- randomized controlled trial/

- limits human, RCTs, 01/01/2010 to 08/10/2016