Aligning POLST orders with wishes: Time to put evidence into practice

Social Determinants of Health May Predict End of Life Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment Form Completion and Treatment Selections

BACKGROUND

End of life (EOL) care planning is important for aging adults given the growing prevalence of chronic medical conditions in the US. The Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program promotes communication between clinicians and patients with advanced illness about EOL treatment preferences. Despite growing resources for EOL care, utilization remains unequal based on social determinants of health (SDOH), including race, language, urbanization, and education. We evaluated the relationship between POLST form selections and completion rates and SDOH.

METHODS

Oregon POLST Registry and American Community Survey data from 2013 to 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. POLST form completion rates and selections, and various SDOH, including age, income, insurance status, urbanization, etc. were recorded. Data were merged based on ZIP codes and analyzed using χ² or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests. Logistic regression was performed.

RESULTS

127,588 POLST forms from 319 ZIP codes were included. POLST form completion rates were highest among urban ZIP codes, and urban registrants more often selected CPR and full treatment. ZIP codes with higher incomes tended to select CPR. ZIP codes with higher rates of private insurance completed POLST forms, and selected CPR and full treatment more frequently. ZIP codes with higher rates of Bachelor's degrees (or higher) completed POLST forms and selected full treatment more frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Various SDOH-specifically, urbanization, insurance status, income level and educational level achieved-may influence POLST form completion rates and selections. The expanding socioeconomic diversity and growth of urban communities, highlight the need for broader access to EOL planning and POLST.