Until the Very End: Is There Equity in Palliative Care?

Factors Associated with Do Not Resuscitate Status and Palliative Care in Hospitalized Patients: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis

Introduction

Patients from diverse sociocultural backgrounds and with differing medical conditions may have varying levels of acceptance of advanced care planning and palliative care.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample for patients discharged from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019, with conditions associated with frequently terminal conditions. We recorded demographic variables, do not resuscitate (DNR) status, and palliative care (PC) status and analyzed the associations between outcomes, mortality, and length of stay (LOS).

Results

A total of 23,402,637 patient records were included in the study, of which 2% were DNR and PC, 5% were DNR only, and 1% was PC only. From 2016 to 2019, the percentage of patients with PC increased from 2.55% to 3.27% and DNR from 6.31% to 7.7%. Black patients were less likely to have DNR status (odds ratio [OR] 0.72 [0.71-0.72]) but had similar PC rates. Male patients were less likely to have a DNR order in place (OR 0.89 [0.89-0.89]) but more likely to be in PC (OR 1.05 [1.04-1.05]). The diagnoses with the highest association with DNR status were lung cancer (OR 4.1 [4.0-4.5]), pancreatic cancer (OR 4.6 [4.5-4.7]), and sepsis (OR 2.9 [2.9-2.9]) The diagnoses most associated with PC were lung cancer (OR 6.3 [6.2-6.4]), pancreatic cancer (OR 8.1 [7.1-8.3]), colon cancer (OR 4.9 [4.8-5.1]), and senile brain degeneration of the brain OR 6.5 [5.3-7.9]). Mortality and LOS decreased between 2016 and 2019, but hospital charges increased (p < 0.001). Black race and male gender were associated with higher inpatient mortality (OR 1.12 [1.12-1.14]), LOS, and hospital charges.

Conclusion

In the United States, the proportion of hospitalized patients with DNR, PC, and DNR with PC increased from 2016 to 2019. Overall, inpatient mortality and LOS fell, but hospital charges per patient increased. Significant gender and ethnic differences emerged. Black patients and males were less likely to have DNR status and had higher inpatient mortality, LOS, and hospital charges.

Gender Disparities in End of Life Care: A Scoping Review

Objective: Traditional gender norms and expectations may disproportionately constrain in-home palliative care received by women. This scoping review aims to canvass and evaluate the literature on gender disparities in end of life care and explore relevant themes that could inform future research and practice. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, OVID, COCHRANE, and EMBASE was conducted using MeSH terms palliative care, palliative medicine, terminal care, or hospice care, combined with gender equity, sex factors, sexism, or gender disparities. Articles were limited to those in English (2010 to 2021), focusing on end of life care, gender roles, patients, and caregivers. Results: Of 624 articles identified, 15 met inclusion criteria for critical appraisal using the AMSTAR checklist for systematic reviews and NICE guidelines for quantitative and qualitative studies. Most studies were of poor to moderate quality. Thematic analyses identified 6 major themes related to gender disparities: living situation, symptom experience, care context, care preferences, caregiving, and coping strategies. Conclusion: Larger scale research of better quality is needed to fully characterize gender disparities in end of life care and understand how physicians might mitigate these disparities by building awareness of personal gender biases, providing support to families, educating them, and initiating care discussions that overturn traditional and stereotypic gendered expectations.