Culture and Palliative Care: Preferences, Communication, Meaning, and Mutual Decision Making

Geographic Variation in Knowledge of Palliative Care Among US Adults: Findings From 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey

BACKGROUND

Public knowledge and awareness of palliative care (PC) is important to its effective use. However, it remains unclear whether the geographic variation in knowledge of PC exits in the United States. This study examined the national geographic variation in knowledge of PC.

METHODS

The study sample was obtained from the 2018 National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey. Basic knowledge of PC, goal concordant treatment, misconceptions, and primary information source of PC were compared across 4 census regions. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with awareness of PC among 9 census divisions.

RESULTS

A total of 3194 respondents (weighted sample size: 229 591 005) were included in this study. Overall, 29% of all respondents reported having knowledge of PC; 32.9% of those residing in Northeast had some knowledge of PC, followed by 30.8% in the South, 26.2% in Midwest, and 25.6% in West. By census divisions, respondents residing in 3 divisions were more likely to have PC knowledge (New England, odds ratio: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.48-6.32, P = .003; South Atlantic, odds ratio: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.15-3.35, P = .014; Pacific, odds ratio: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.12-3.09, P = .018) compared to those in the Mountain division.

CONCLUSIONS

The variation of PC knowledge on census division and state level in 2018 was consistent with the real-world geographic disparities in the availability of PC programs. These findings represent an opportunity for minimizing the gap of geographic disparity by initiating strategic programs and promoting PC programs nationwide.

Racial Disparities in End-of-Life Care Between Black and White Adults With Metastatic Cancer

CONTEXT

The comfort of patients with cancer near the end of life (EOL) is often undermined by unnecessary and burdensome treatments. There is a need for more research examining racial disparities in EOL care, especially in regions with a history of racial discrimination.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether black adults received more burdensome EOL care than white adults in a population-based data set of cancer decedents in Louisiana, a state with a history of slavery and long-standing racial disparities.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of EOL care from the Research Action for Health Network (REACHnet), a regional Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute-funded database. The sample consisted of 875 white and 415 black patients with metastatic cancer who died in Louisiana from 2011 to 2017. We used logistic regression to examine whether race was associated with five indicators of burdensome care in the last 30 days of life: chemotherapy use, inpatient hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, emergency department (ED) admission, and mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

Most patients (85.0%) received at least one indicator of burdensome care: hospitalization (76.5%), intensive care unit admission (44.1%), chemotherapy (29.1%), mechanical ventilation (23.0%), and ED admission (18.3%). Odds ratios (ORs) indicated that black individuals were more likely than white individuals to be hospitalized (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.21-2.28; P = 0.002) or admitted to the ED (OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.16-2.13; P = 0.004) during their last month of life.

CONCLUSION

Findings have implications for informing health care decision making near the EOL for patients, families, and clinicians, especially in regions with a history of racial discrimination and disparities.

Spirituality and the Illness Experience: Perspectives of African American Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Disparities in hospice and palliative care (PC) for African Americans have been linked to mistrust toward the healthcare system, racial inequalities, and cultural preferences. Spirituality has been identified as important to African Americans in general. Less is known about the influence of spirituality on African American illness experiences.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to understand older African Americans' perspectives on how spirituality influences chronic illness experiences to inform the development of a culturally tailored PC intervention.

METHODS

In partnership with 5 churches in the Denver metropolitan area, we conducted focus groups with African American older adults (n = 50) with chronic health conditions and their family caregivers. Transcripts were analyzed using a deductive approach. The theoretical framework for this study draws on psychology of religion research.

RESULTS

Themes referenced participants' spiritual orienting systems, spiritual coping strategies, and spiritual coping styles. Psycho-spiritual struggles, social struggles, and sources of social support were also identified. Findings suggest African Americans' spirituality influences chronic illness experiences. Participants relied on their spirituality and church community to help them cope with illness. In addition, social struggles impacted the illness experience. Social struggles included mistrust toward the healthcare system and not being connected to adequate resources. Participants expressed a need to advocate for themselves and family members to receive better healthcare. Churches were referred to as a trusted space for health resources, as well as spiritual and social support.

Chinese medical teachers' cultural attitudes influence palliative care education: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

China holds one fifth of the world's population and faces a rapidly aging society. In its ambition to reach a health care standard comparable to developed countries by 2030, the implementation of palliative care gains special importance. Until now, palliative care education in China is limited and disparate. This study aims to explore and determine factors that have impeded the development and implementation of palliative care education in China.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with n=28 medical teachers from seven Chinese universities. Interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis applied.

RESULTS

Three themes with two subthemes were constructed from data analysis. Theme 1 covers the still ambivalent perception of palliative care and palliative care education among participants. The second theme is about cultural attitudes around death and communication. The third theme reflects participants' pragmatic general understanding of teaching. All themes incorporate obstacles to further implementation of palliative care and palliative care education in China.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the study participants, palliative care implementation through palliative care education in China is hindered by cultural views of medical teachers, their perception of palliative care and palliative care education, and their understanding of teaching. The study demonstrates that current attitudes may work as an obstacle to the implementation of palliative care within the health care system. Approaches to changing medical teachers' views on palliative care and palliative care education and their cultural attitudes towards death and dying are crucial to further promote the implementation of palliative care in China.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Nursing Home End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Health disparities are pervasive in nursing homes (NHs), but disparities in NH end-of-life (EOL) care (ie, hospital transfers, place of death, hospice use, palliative care, advance care planning) have not been comprehensively synthesized. We aim to identify differences in NH EOL care for racial/ethnic minority residents.

DESIGN

A systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181792).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Older NH residents who were terminally ill or approaching the EOL, including racial/ethnic minority NH residents.

METHODS

Three electronic databases were searched from 2010 to May 2020. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

Eighteen articles were included, most (n = 16) were good quality and most (n = 15) used data through 2010. Studies varied in definitions and grouping of racial/ethnic minority residents. Four outcomes were identified: advance care planning (n = 10), hospice (n = 8), EOL hospitalizations (n = 6), and pain management (n = 1). Differences in EOL care were most apparent among NHs with higher proportions of Black residents. Racial/ethnic minority residents were less likely to complete advance directives. Although hospice use was mixed, Black residents were consistently less likely to use hospice before death. Hispanic and Black residents were more likely to experience an EOL hospitalization compared with non-Hispanic White residents. Racial/ethnic minority residents experienced worse pain and symptom management at the EOL; however, no articles studied specifics of palliative care (eg, spiritual care).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This review identified NH health disparities in advance care planning, EOL hospitalizations, and pain management for racial/ethnic minority residents. Research is needed that uses recent data, reflective of current NH demographic trends. To help reduce EOL disparities, language services and cultural competency training for staff should be available in NHs with higher proportions of racial/ethnic minorities.

Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy regarding palliative care in China: A descriptive correlational study

Aim

To describe nursing students' knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy about palliative care and to examine the associations between these variables in China.

Design

A descriptive correlational study.

Methods

Undergraduate nursing students (N = 187) at the end of third year of education from a university were surveyed. Measurements included the Chinese versions of the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing, the Death Attitude Profile-Revised, the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale and the Palliative Care Self-Efficacy Scale. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed.

Results

Although most nursing students had favourable attitudes towards death and caring for the dying, students had low level of knowledge and self-efficacy regarding palliative care, suggesting the need for integrating palliative care education into nursing curriculum in China. Moreover, special attention should be paid to psychosocial and spiritual care teaching and preparing students to psychologically deal with the challenges in the process of patient's dying.

Introducing cross-cultural education in palliative care: focus groups with experts on practical strategies

BACKGROUND

The linguistic and cultural diversity found in European societies creates specific challenges to palliative care clinicians. Patients' heterogeneous habits, beliefs and social situations, and in many cases language barriers, add complexity to clinicians' work. Cross-cultural teaching helps palliative care specialists deal with issues that arise from such diversity. This study aimed to provide interested educators and decision makers with ideas for how to implement cross-cultural training in palliative care.

METHODS

We conducted four focus groups in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. All groups consisted of a mix of experts in palliative care and/or cross-cultural teaching. The interdisciplinary research team submitted the data for thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

Focus-group participants saw a clear need for courses addressing cross-cultural issues in end-of-life care, including in medical disciplines outside of palliative care (e.g. geriatrics, oncology, intensive care). We found that these courses should be embedded in existing training offerings and should appear at all stages of curricula for end-of-life specialists. Two trends emerged related to course content. One focuses on clinicians' acquisition of cultural expertise and tools allowing them to deal with complex situations on their own; the other stresses the importance of clinicians' reflections and learning to collaborate with other professionals in complex situations. These trends evoke recent debates in the literature: the quest for expertise and tools is related to traditional twentieth century work on cross-cultural competence, whereas reflection and collaboration are central to more recent research that promotes cultural sensitivity and humility in clinicians.

CONCLUSION

This study offers new insights into cross-cultural courses in palliative and end-of-life care. Basic knowledge on culture in medicine, variable practices related to death and dying, communication techniques, self-reflection on cultural references and aptitude for interprofessional collaboration are central to preparing clinicians in end-of-life settings to work with linguistically and culturally diverse patients.

End-of-life decision making in the context of chronic life-limiting disease: a concept analysis and conceptual model

BACKGROUND

Conceptual ambiguities prevent advancements in end-of-life decision making in clinical practice and research.

PURPOSE

To clarify the components of and stakeholders (patients, caregivers, healthcare providers) involved in end-of-life decision making in the context of chronic life-limiting disease and develop a conceptual model.

METHOD

Walker and Avant's approach to concept analysis.

FINDINGS

End-of-life decision making is a process, not a discrete event, that begins with preparation, including decision maker designation and iterative stakeholder communication throughout the chronic illness (antecedents). These processes inform end-of-life decisions during terminal illness, involving: 1) serial choices 2) weighed in terms of potential outcomes 3) through patient and caregiver collaboration (attributes). Components impact patients' death, caregivers' bereavement, and healthcare systems' outcomes (consequences).

DISCUSSION

Findings provide a foundation for improved inquiry into and measurement of the end-of-life decision making process, accounting for the dose, content, and quality the antecedent and attribute factors that collectively contribute to outcomes.

Palliative Care in Acute Heart Failure

Purpose of Review

Palliative care is increasingly acknowledged as beneficial in supporting patients and families affected by heart failure, but policy documents have generally focused on the chronic form of this disease. We examined palliative care provision for those with acute heart failure, based on the recently updated National Consensus Project Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care.

Recent Findings

The commonest reason for hospitalization in those > 65 years, acute heart failure admissions delineate crisis points on the unpredictable disease trajectory. Palliative care is underutilized, often perceived as limited to end-of-life care rather than determined by regular systematic needs assessment. No dominant paradigm of palliative care provision has emerged from the nascent evidence base related to this clinical cohort, underscoring the need for further research.

Summary

Embedding palliative support as mainstream to heart failure care from the point of diagnosis may better ensure treatment strategies for those admitted with acute heart failure remain consistent with patients’ preferences and values.

What Mattered Then, Now, and Always: Illness Narratives From Persons of Color

Developing solid communication-based partnerships through obtaining illness narratives allows for an understanding of patients' social resources, values, and beliefs and allows an opportunity to provide person-centered care. This study aimed to elicit cocreated illness narratives from persons of color who have serious illness. Twenty patients receiving care for serious illness were interviewed at a large academic medical center. The interviews focused on how illness affected patients' lives and were followed by formation of illness narratives. From the persons living with serious illness, 3 main themes emerged: (1) time, (2) life changes, and (3) family. Participants described how illness did influence their lifestyles and identities but did not define their personhood. Family influence had a lasting effect on participants' values and beliefs, and family presence was viewed as valuable in their current lives. Narratives from persons of color with serious illness can provide an intimate account informing nurses' understanding of patients' illness experiences and may enhance communication between nurses and patients.

Community Tele-pal: A community-developed, culturally based palliative care tele-consult randomized controlled trial for African American and White Rural southern elders with a life-limiting illness

BACKGROUND

Patients living in rural areas experience a variety of unmet needs that result in healthcare disparities. The triple threat of rural geography, racial inequities, and older age hinders access to high-quality palliative care (PC) for a significant proportion of Americans. Rural patients with life-limiting illness are at risk of not receiving appropriate palliative care due to a limited specialty workforce, long distances to treatment centers, and limited PC clinical expertise. Although culture strongly influences people's response to diagnosis, illness, and treatment preferences, culturally based care models are not currently available for most seriously ill rural patients and their family caregivers. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) is to compare a culturally based tele-consult program (that was developed by and for the rural southern African American (AA) and White (W) population) to usual hospital care to determine the impact on symptom burden (primary outcome) and patient and care partner quality of life (QOL), care partner burden, and resource use post-discharge (secondary outcomes) in hospitalized AA and White older adults with a life-limiting illness.

METHODS

Community Tele-pal is a three-site RCT that will test the efficacy of a community-developed, culturally based PC tele-consult program for hospitalized rural AA and W older adults with life-limiting illnesses (n = 352) and a care partner. Half of the participants (n = 176) and a care partner (n = 176) will be randomized to receive the culturally based palliative care consult. The other half of the patient participants (n = 176) and care partners (n = 176) will receive usual hospital care appropriate to their illness.

DISCUSSION

This is the first community-developed, culturally based PC tele-consult program for rural southern AA and W populations. If effective, the tele-consult palliative program and methods will serve as a model for future culturally based PC programs that can reduce patients' symptoms and care partner burden.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03767517 . Registered on 27 December 2018.

The role of geriatric palliative care in hospitalized older adults

Take-Away Points:1. Geriatric palliative care requires integrating the disciplines of hospital medicine and palliative care in pursuit of delivering comprehensive, whole-person care to aging patients with serious illnesses.2. Older adults have unique palliative care needs compared to the general population, different prevalence and intensity of symptoms, more frequent neuropsychiatric challenges, increased social needs, distinct spiritual, religious, and cultural considerations, and complex medicolegal and ethical issues.3. Hospital-based palliative care interdisciplinary teams can take many forms and provide high-quality, goal-concordant care to older adults and their families.

Forging a New Frontier: Providing Palliative Care to People With Cancer in Rural and Remote Areas

Mounting evidence supports oncology organizations' recommendations of early palliative care as a cancer care best practice for patients with advanced cancer and/or high symptom burden. However, few trials on which these best practices are based have included rural and remote community-based oncology care. Therefore, little is known about whether early palliative care models are applicable in these low-resource areas. This literature synthesis identifies some of the challenges of integrating palliative care in rural and remote cancer care. Prominent themes include being mindful of rural culture; adapting traditional geographically based specialty care delivery models to under-resourced rural practices; and using novel palliative care education delivery methods to increase community-based health professional, layperson, and family palliative expertise to account for limited local specialty palliative care resources. Although there are many limitations, many rural and remote communities also have strengths in their capacity to provide high-quality care by capitalizing on close-knit, committed community practitioners, especially if there are receptive local palliative and hospice care champions. Hence, adapting palliative care models, using culturally appropriate novel delivery methods, and providing remote education and support to existing community providers are promising advances to aid rural people to manage serious illness and to die in place. Reformulating health policy and nurturing academic-community partnerships that support best practices are critical components of providing early palliative care for everyone everywhere.

Development and Validation of the Palliative Care Attitudes Scale (PCAS-9): A Measure of Patient Attitudes Toward Palliative Care

CONTEXT

Palliative Care is underutilized, and research has neglected patient-level factors including attitudes that could contribute to avoidance or acceptance of Palliative Care referrals. This may be due in part to a lack of existing measures for this purpose.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a nine-item scale measuring patient attitudes toward Palliative Care, comprised of three subscales spanning emotional, cognitive, and behavioral factors.

METHODS

Data were collected online in three separate waves, targeting individuals with cancer (Sample 1: N = 633; Sample 2: N = 462) or noncancer serious illnesses (Sample 3: N = 225). Participants were recruited using ResearchMatch.org and postings on the web sites, social media pages, and listservs of international health organizations.

RESULTS

Internal consistency was acceptable for the total scale (α = 0.84) and subscales: emotional (α = 0.84), cognitive (αs = 0.70), and behavioral (α = 0.90). The PCAS-9 was significantly associated with a separate measure of Palliative Care attitudes (ps < 0.001) and a measure of Palliative Care knowledge (ps < 0.004), supporting its construct validity in samples of cancer and noncancer serious illnesses. The scale's psychometric properties, including internal consistency and factor structure, generalized across patient subgroups based on diagnosis, other health characteristics, and demographics.

CONCLUSION

Findings support the overall reliability, validity, and generalizability of the PCAS-9 in serious illness samples and have implications for increasing Palliative Care utilization via clinical care and future research efforts.

Emotional Bond: The Nature of Relationship in Palliative Care for Cancer Patients

Aim

Relationship between care providers and cancer patients is one of the main elements in providing healthcare to these patients. Understanding the characteristics and the nature of the relationship is a basis for further organization of palliative care and will enhance the performance of care providers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of the relationship in palliative care for cancer patients.

Methods

In this qualitative study, 16 participants with rich experiences in the field of cancer patient's palliative care were selected by purposive sampling. A semi-structured face-to-face interview was conducted with each of the participants. After data collection, all interviews were transcribed and reviewed, and then primary codes, sub-categories, and categories were extracted.

Results

Data analysis emerged three categories; being alongside the patient, establishing and maintaining cordiality relationship, and mutual understanding with the patient. Moreover, an emotional bonding was the main theme that defined the nature of relationship between the care provider team and cancer patients in a palliative care approach.

Conclusion

Effective relationship based on emotional bonding is the foundation of palliative care in cancer patients. Considering the structures and palliative care settings in health systems, it is possible to provide training programs regarding the strategies related to establishing emotional bond for effective delivery of palliative care.

An EAPC white paper on multi-disciplinary education for spiritual care in palliative care

BACKGROUND

The EAPC White Paper addresses the issue of spiritual care education for all palliative care professionals. It is to guide health care professionals involved in teaching or training of palliative care and spiritual care; stakeholders, leaders and decision makers responsible for training and education; as well as national and local curricula development groups.

METHODS

Early in 2018, preliminary draft paper was written by members of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) spiritual care reference group inviting comment on the four core elements of spiritual care education as outlined by Gamondi et al. (2013) in their paper on palliative care core competencies. The preliminary draft paper was circulated to experts from the EAPC spiritual care reference group for feedback. At the second stage feedback was incorporated into a second draft paper and experts and representatives of national palliative care organizations were invited to provide feedback and suggest revisions. The final version incorporated the subsequent criticism and as a result, the Gamondi framework was explored and critically revised leading to updated suggestions for spiritual care education in palliative care.

RESULTS

The EAPC white paper points out the importance of spiritual care as an integral part of palliative care and suggests incorporating it accordingly into educational activities and training models in palliative care. The revised spiritual care education competencies for all palliative care providers are accompanied by the best practice models and research evidence, at the same time being sensitive towards different development stages of the palliative care services across the European region.

CONCLUSIONS

Better education can help the healthcare practitioner to avoid being distracted by their own fears, prejudices, and restraints and attend to the patient and his/her family. This EAPC white paper encourages and facilitates high quality, multi-disciplinary, academically and financially accessible spiritual care education to all palliative care staff.

Understanding Culture in Context: An Important Next Step for Patient Emotional Well-Being and Nursing

The impact of culture on health has gained considerable importance in care delivery. This review discusses the complex interaction of culture and social determinants, and the combined impact of these on emotional well-being. Examples of this interaction are presented and recommendations for change within nursing to improve care are discussed.

Toward Understanding the Relationship Between Prioritized Values and Preferences for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Among Seriously Ill Adults

CONTEXT

Prioritizing among potentially conflicting end-of-life values may help patients discriminate among treatments and allow clinicians to align treatments with values.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate end-of-life values that patients prioritize when facing explicit trade-offs and identify predictors of patients whose values and treatment preferences seem inconsistent.

METHODS

Analysis of surveys from a multi-center cluster-randomized trial of patients with serious illness. Respondents prioritized end-of-life values and identified cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preferences in two health states.

RESULTS

Of 535 patients, 60% prioritized relief of discomfort over extending life, 17% prioritized extending life over relief of discomfort, and 23% were unsure. Patients prioritizing extending life were most likely to prefer CPR, with 93% preferring CPR in current health and 67% preferring CPR if dependent on others, compared with 69% and 21%, respectively, for patients prioritizing relief of discomfort, and 78% and 33%, respectively, for patients unsure of their prioritized value (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Among patients prioritizing relief of discomfort, preference for CPR in current health was less likely among older patients (odds ratio 0.958 per year; 95% CI 0.935, 0.981) and more likely with better self-perceived health (odds ratio 1.402 per level of health; 95% CI 1.090, 1.804).

CONCLUSION

Clinicians face challenges as they clarify patient values and align treatments with values. Patients' values predicted CPR preferences, but a substantial proportion of patients expressed CPR preferences that appeared potentially inconsistent with their primary value. Clinicians should question assumptions about relationships between values and CPR preferences. Further research is needed to identify ways to use values to guide treatment decisions.

'Contradictions in having care providers with a South Sami background who speak South Sami': older South Sami People in Sweden's expectations of home nursing care

The Sami are an indigenous population with multiple languages and dialects living in northern areas of Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula. The South Sami population lives in central regions of Sweden and Norway, and consist of about 2000 people. In this study, 56 older South Sami people from Sweden participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The main findings show that older South Sami people's expectations of having care providers with a South Sami background speaking South Sami in home nursing care contain contradictions in and between participants. Participants had different preferences regarding having care providers with a South Sami background speaking South Sami in the future. When providing care to older South Sami people, individual adjustments are of importance, and our study showed that participants had different expectations despite having similar backgrounds.

Construction of meanings during life-limiting illnesses and its impacts on palliative care: Ethnographic study in an African context

OBJECTIVE

Knowledge about how people make meaning in cancer, palliative, and end-of-life care is particularly lacking in Africa, yet it can provide insights into strategies for improving palliative care (PC). This study explored ways in which cancer patients, their families, and health care professionals (HCPs) construct meaning of their life-limiting illnesses and how this impact on provision and use of PC in a Nigerian hospital.

METHODS

This ethnographic study utilised participant observation, informal conversations during observation, and interviews to gather data from 39 participants, comprising service users and HCPs in a Nigerian hospital. Data were analysed using Spradley's framework for ethnographic data analysis.

RESULTS

Meaning-making in life-limiting illness was predominantly rooted in belief systems. Most patients and their families, including some HCPs, perceived that cancer was caused by the devil, mystical, or supernatural beings. They professed that these agents manifested in the form of either spiritual attacks or that wicked people in society used either poison or acted as witches/wizards to inflict cancer on someone. These beliefs contributed to either nonacceptance of, or late presentation for, PC by most of patients and their families, while some professionals depended on supernatural powers for divine intervention and tacitly supporting religious practices to achieve healing/cure.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings revealed that cultural and religious world views about life-limiting illnesses were used in decision-making process for PC. This, therefore, provided evidence that could improve the clinicians' cultural competence when providing PC to individuals of African descent, especially Nigerians, both in Nigerian societies and in foreign countries.

How The Fault in Our Stars illuminates four themes of the Adolescent End of Life Narrative

Adolescents who face life-limiting illness have unique developmental features and strong personal preferences around end of life (EOL) care. Understanding and documenting those preferences can be enhanced by practising narrative medicine. This paper aims to identify a new form of narrative, the Adolescent End of Life Narrative, and recognise four central themes. The Adolescent EOL Narrative can be observed in young adult fiction, The Fault in Our Stars, which elucidates the notion that terminally ill adolescents have authentic preferences about their life and death. Attaining narrative competence and appreciating the distinct perspective of the dying adolescent allows medical providers and parents to support the adolescent in achieving a good death. By thinking with the Adolescent EOL Narrative, adults can use Voicing my CHOiCES, an EOL planning guide designed for adolescents, to effectively capture the adolescent's preferences, and the adolescent can make use of this type of narrative to make sense of their lived experience.

Palliative care for older South Asian migrants: A systematic review

Objective

South Asian migrants have a higher burden of life-threatening diseases and chronic diseases compared to other ethnic groups. Yet, knowledge gaps remain around their palliative care needs in the host countries. The aim of the review was to present results from a systematic literature review of available international evidence on experiences with and perspectives on palliative care among older South Asian migrants, relatives, and healthcare providers.

Methods

A systematic review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines was conducted in February 2018, searching PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and EMBASE databases. PROSPERO #CRD42018093464. Studies included empirical research, providing international evidence on experiences and perspectives on palliative care of South Asian migrants and were published between 2000 and 2018. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze data.

Results

A total of 30 articles were included: qualitative (24), quantitative (5), and mixed methods (1). Three main themes were discovered: 1) palliative care practice within the family, 2) trust as a precondition of palliative care, and 3) the importance of knowledge and cultural competency. All the themes, to a greater or lesser extent, are related to access to and use of palliative care services by South Asian migrant families.

Significance of results

Involvement of family members in palliative care decision making could improve the satisfaction of South Asian migrant families toward the service. For example, Advanced Care Planning involving family members could be a possible way to engage family members in palliative care decision making. Supportive interventions, e.g. providing knowledge, aimed at patients and their family members might improve knowledge and increase awareness among South Asian migrant families of palliative care. Knowledge gained from this review could be implemented with other ethnic minority groups.

Expanded definitions of the 'good death'? Race, ethnicity and medical aid in dying

The range of end-of-life options is expanding across North America. Specifically, medical aid in dying (AID), or the process by which a patient with a terminal illness may request medical assistance with hastening death, has recently become legal in eight jurisdictions in the United States and all of Canada. Debates about AID often rely on cultural constructions that define some deaths as 'good' and others as 'bad'. While research has found commonalities in how patients, family members and health care providers define good and bad deaths, these constructions likely vary across social groups. Because of this, the extent to which AID is seen as a route to the good death also likely varies across social groups. In this article, we analyse qualitative data from six focus groups (n = 39) across three racial and ethnic groups: African American, Latino and white Californians, just after a medical AID law was passed. We find that definitions of the 'good death' are nuanced within and between groups, suggesting that different groups evaluate medical AID in part through complex ideas about dying. These findings further conversations about racial and ethnic differences in choices about end-of-life options.

Improving End-of-Life Care for Diverse Populations: Communication, Competency, and System Supports

BACKGROUND

While disparities in end-of-life care have been well-documented, explanations for the persistence of disparities are less clear. This study sought to examine diverse perceptions of end-of-life care, especially regarding how medical professionals can better serve all populations.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate similarities and differences in end-of-life care preferences, across racial and ethnic groups.

DESIGN

This work consists of a qualitative study utilizing in-depth focus group discussions.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Six community-based focus groups were conducted with a total of 39 participants. Two groups were composed of African American participants, 2 had Latino participants, and 2 groups had white participants.

RESULTS

Analysis produced 3 major themes: (1) clear, comprehensive, and culturally relevant provider-patient communication regarding serious illness; (2) provider characteristics and competency; and (3) health system supports and barriers. Although all groups had individuals who expressed a strong preference for direct communication, individuals varied within groups. All groups discussed concerns that the costs of care are high and that financial considerations are given more importance than high-quality care. Groups diverged in their focus on provider characteristics and feelings of marginalization. African American and Latino groups emphasized a desire to match characteristics with providers, and African American groups discussed that their marginalization in the health-care system requires hypervigilance to receive high-quality care.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvements in care would come from acknowledging diversity within groups, provider demonstration of comfort and competence, more effective care coordination, and recruitment of providers who share similar characteristics with the communities they serve.

Palliative Care in Botswana: Progress and Challenges

Palliative care is an essential aspect of care for patients with serious illness and their families, but a large proportion of the world's population, particularly in developing countries like Botswana, do not have access to it. In Botswana and other developing countries, palliative care is often sporadic and lacks comprehensive delivery owing to a lag between policies and practice and a lack of knowledge about palliative care among health care professionals and communities. In this article, the progress of palliative care in Botswana is discussed by first evaluating at the relevance of palliative care in Botswana given the burden of diseases and resources available for disease management. Second, the palliative care delivery models and their successes and shortcomings in Botswana context are discussed. Third, the Botswana palliative care services are viewed on a global scale to illuminate progress and areas that need improvement. Thereafter, using a case as a reference, this article highlights the challenges faced by Botswana palliative care services. Finally, some areas that can be targeted to improve palliative care services in Botswana and possible solutions are discussed. Overall, palliative care is at infancy stage in Botswana and many opportunities exist in education, research, and resource support to transform it into a full-fledged service.

Talking about treatment benefits, harms, and what matters to patients in radiation oncology: an observational study

Background

Shared decision making is associated with improved patient outcomes in radiation oncology. Our study aimed to capture how shared decision-making practices–namely, communicating potential harms and benefits and discussing what matters to patients–occur in usual care.

Methods

We invited a convenience sample of clinicians and patients in a radiation oncology clinic to participate in a mixed methods study. Prior to consultations, clinicians and patients completed self-administered questionnaires. We audio-recorded consultations and conducted qualitative content analysis. Patients completed a questionnaire immediately post-consultation about their recall and perceptions.

Results

11 radiation oncologists, 4 residents, 14 nurses, and 40 patients (55% men; mean age 64, standard deviation or SD 9) participated. Patients had a variety of cancers; 30% had been referred for palliative radiotherapy. During consultations (mean length 45 min, SD 16), clinicians presented a median of 8 potential harms (interquartile range 6–11), using quantitative estimates 17% of the time. Patients recalled significantly fewer harms (median recall 2, interquartile range 0–3, t(38) = 9.3, p < .001). Better recall was associated with discussing potential harms with a nurse after seeing the physician (odds ratio 7.5, 95% confidence interval 1.3–67.0, p = .04.) Clinicians initiated 63% of discussions of harms and benefits while patients and families initiated 69% of discussions about values and preferences (Chi-squared(1) = 37.8, p < .001). 56% of patients reported their clinician asked what mattered to them.

Conclusions

Radiation oncology clinics may wish to use interprofessional care and initiate more discussions about what matters to patients to heed Jain’s (2014) reminder that, “a patient isn’t a disease with a body attached but a life into which a disease has intruded.”

How family caregivers of persons with advanced cancer assist with upstream healthcare decision-making: A qualitative study

Aims

Numerous healthcare decisions are faced by persons with advanced cancer from diagnosis to end-of-life. The family caregiver role in these decisions has focused on being a surrogate decision-maker, however, little is known about the caregiver’s role in supporting upstream patient decision-making. We aimed to describe the roles of family caregivers in assisting community-dwelling advanced cancer patients with healthcare decision-making across settings and contexts.

Methods

Qualitative study using one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with community-dwelling persons with metastatic cancer (n = 18) and their family caregivers (n = 20) recruited from outpatient oncology clinics of a large tertiary care academic medical center, between October 2016 and October 2017. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Findings

Caregivers averaged 56 years and were mostly female (95%), white (85%), and the patient’s partner/spouse (70%). Patients averaged 58 years and were mostly male (67%) in self-reported “fair” or “poor” health (50%) with genitourinary (33%), lung (17%), and hematologic (17%) cancers. Themes describing family member roles in supporting patients’ upstream healthcare decision-making were: 1) seeking information about the cancer, its trajectory, and treatments options; 2) ensuring family and healthcare clinicians have a common understanding of the patient’s treatment plan and condition; 3) facilitating discussions with patients about their values and the framing of their illness; 5) posing “what if” scenarios about current and potential future health states and treatments; 6) addressing collateral decisions (e.g., work arrangements) resulting from medical treatment choices; 6) originating healthcare-related decision points, including decisions about seeking emergency care; and 7) making healthcare decisions for patients who preferred to delegate healthcare decisions to their family caregivers.

Conclusions

These findings highlight a previously unreported and understudied set of critical decision partnering roles that cancer family caregivers play in patient healthcare decision-making. Optimizing these roles may represent novel targets for early decision support interventions for family caregivers.

Outcomes of Patients 65 Years or Older After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Based on Location of Cardiac Arrest in Japan

IMPORTANCE

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major public health issue, and in recent years, the number of OHCAs among the elderly population, aged 65 years or older, has significantly increased in developed countries.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients 65 years or older who experienced OHCA based on the location-public, residential, or nursing home-where it occurred in Japan.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This prospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study used information collected by the All-Japan Utstein Registry to examine data from 293 615 patients 65 years or older who experienced OHCA during the period from January 2013 to December 2015 in Japan. Data analyses were conducted from June to July 2018.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was 1-month survival with a favorable outcome that was defined as a cerebral performance category score of 1 or 2 (1, good cerebral performance; 2, moderate cerebral disability; 3, severe cerebral disability; 4, coma or vegetative state; and 5, death or brain death). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine favorable outcome by location.

RESULTS

A total of 233 511 patients with OHCA were included in the final analysis; 29 911 (12.8%) occurred in a public location, 157 087 (67.3%) at a residential location, and 46 513 (19.9%) at a nursing home. The median age of the patients was 83.0 years (interquartile range, 76.0-88.0 years), and the proportion of men was 53.1% (124 108 of 233 511). The proportion of favorable neurologic outcomes was 4.5% (1351 of 29 911) in public locations, 1.0% (1555 of 157 087) in residential locations, and 0.6% (301 of 46 513) in nursing homes. Patients with cardiac arrests in public locations had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving a favorable neurologic outcome than those in residential locations (adjusted odds ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.25-1.48), whereas those in nursing homes were less likely to achieve a favorable neurologic outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54-0.72). However, this difference in outcomes among patients based on location decreased with age.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The outcomes of patients 65 years or older after OHCA differed by the location of the cardiac arrest. These outcomes may be improved by updating existing response measures across all locations.

FAmily-CEntered (FACE) Advance Care Planning Among African-American and Non-African-American Adults Living With HIV in Washington, DC: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Documentation and Health Equity

CONTEXT

No prospective studies address disease-specific advance care planning (ACP) for adults living with HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of FAmily-CEntered (FACE) ACP in increasing ACP and advance directive documentation in the medical record.

METHODS

Longitudinal, two-arm, randomized controlled trial with intent-to-treat design recruited from five hospital-based outpatient HIV clinics in Washington, DC. Adults living with HIV and their surrogate decision-makers (N = 233 dyads) were randomized to either an intensive facilitated two-session FACE ACP (Next Steps: Respecting Choices goals of care conversation and Five Wishes advance directive) or healthy living control (conversations about developmental/relationship history and nutrition).

RESULTS

Patients (n = 223) mean age: 51 years, 56% male, 86% African-American. One hundred ninety-nine dyads participated in the intervention. At baseline, only 13% of patients had an advance directive. Three months after intervention, this increased to 59% for the FACE ACP group versus 17% in the control group (P < 0.0001). Controlling for race, the odds of having an advance directive in the medical record in the FACE ACP group was approximately seven times greater than controls (adjusted odds ratio = 6.58, 95% CI: 3.21-13.51, P < 0.0001). Among African-Americans randomized to FACE, 58% had completed/documented advance directives versus 20% of controls (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The FACE ACP intervention significantly improved ACP completion and advance directive documentation in the medical record among both African-American and non-African-American adults living with HIV in Washington, DC, providing health equity in ACP, which can inform best practices.

Regional Differences in Palliative Care Utilization Among Geriatric Colorectal Cancer Patients Needing Emergent Surgery

BACKGROUND

The benefits of palliative care (PC) in critical illness are validated across a range of diseases, yet it remains underutilized in surgical patients. This study analyzed patient and hospital factors predictive of PC utilization for elderly patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) requiring emergent surgery.

METHODS

The National Inpatient Sample was queried for patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted emergently with CRC from 2009 to 2014. Patients undergoing colectomy, enterectomy, or ostomy formation were included and stratified according to documentation of PC consultation during admission. Chi-squared testing identified unadjusted group differences, and multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of PC.

RESULTS

Of 86,573 discharges meeting inclusion criteria, only 3598 (4.2%) had PC consultation. Colectomy (86.6%) and ostomy formation (30.4%) accounted for the operative majority. PC frequency increased over time (2.9% in 2009 to 6.2% in 2014, P < 0.001) and was nearly twice as likely to occur in the West compared with the Northeast (5.7 vs. 3.3%, P < 0.001) and in not-for-profit compared with proprietary hospitals (4.5 vs. 2.3%, P < 0.001). PC patients were more likely to have metastases (60.1 vs. 39.9%, P < 0.001) and die during admission (41.5 vs. 6.4%, P < 0.001). On multivariable logistic regression, PC predictors (P < 0.05) included region outside the Northeast, increasing age, more recent year, and metastatic disease.

CONCLUSIONS

In the USA, PC consultation for geriatric patients with surgically managed complicated CRC is low. Regional variation appears to play an important role. With mounting evidence that PC improves quality of life and outcomes, understanding the barriers associated with its provision to surgical patients is paramount.

The Psychosocial and Spiritual Experiences of Patients with Advanced Incurable Illness in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Context

The psychosocial and spiritual needs of individuals with life-limiting conditions in low- or middle-income countries have not been well described. Understanding these needs is important to providing holistic palliative care.

Aim

This study aims to better understand the psychosocial and spiritual needs and supports of patients with advanced, incurable illness in Bangladesh.

Subjects and Methods

Individuals with advanced incurable illnesses (advanced cancer and HIV/AIDS) from a wide geographical distribution across Bangladesh were interviewed about their health status, emotional and spiritual experiences with their illness, coping and support systems, and greatest needs and fears.

Results

We interviewed 221 individuals with incurable cancer (82%) or HIV/AIDS (18%). Self-reported health status was poor or very poor for 48%, and 44% reported feeling unhappy all of the time. The majority (61%) rated their current level of unhappiness as 10/10. Spouses (50%), children (15%), and parents (13%) were the most common caregivers. Money and medical care were equally the most common needs (46%). Participants' greatest fears were for the future of their children (38%), being in pain (29%), and dying (28%).

Conclusions

There is a significant burden of psychosocial and spiritual concerns among patients with advanced incurable illness in Bangladesh, with sadness being very frequent and of high intensity. Family and friends provide significant emotional and practical support to patients who are seriously ill, but very few patients access any professional support for these concerns.

Advance Care Planning and HIV Symptoms in Adolescence

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effect of family-centered pediatric advance care planning (FACE pACP) on HIV-specific symptoms.

METHODS

In this single-blinded, randomized controlled trial conducted at 6 US hospital-based HIV clinics, 105 adolescent-family dyads, randomly assigned from July 2011 to June 2014, received 3 weekly sessions in either the FACE pACP arm ([1] pediatric advance care planning survey, [2] Respecting Choices interview, and [3] 5 Wishes directive) or the control arm ([1] developmental history, [2] safety tips, and [3] nutrition and exercise tips). The General Health Assessment for Children measured patient-reported HIV-specific symptoms. Latent class analyses clustered individual patients based on symptom patterns. Path analysis examined the mediating role of dyadic treatment congruence with respect to the intervention effect on symptom patterns.

RESULTS

Patients were a mean age of 17.8 years old, 54% male, and 93% African American. Latent class analysis identified 2 latent HIV-symptom classes at 12 months: higher symptoms and suffering (27%) and lower symptoms and suffering (73%). FACE pACP had a positive effect on dyadic treatment congruence (β = .65; 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.28), and higher treatment congruence had a negative effect on symptoms and suffering (β = -1.14; 95% CI: -2.55 to -0.24). Therefore, FACE pACP decreased the likelihood of symptoms and suffering through better dyadic treatment congruence (β = -.69; 95% CI: -2.14 to -0.006). Higher religiousness (β = 2.19; 95% CI: 0.22 to 4.70) predicted symptoms and suffering.

CONCLUSIONS

FACE pACP increased and maintained agreement about goals of care longitudinally, which lowered adolescents' physical symptoms and suffering, suggesting that early pACP is worthwhile.