Religion and end of life treatment preferences among geriatric patients

End-of-Life Medical Decisions: The Link Between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Treatment Preferences

INTRODUCTION

Advance directives (ADs) promote patient autonomy in end-of-life (EOL) care, including an individual's EOL medical treatment preferences. This study aims to better understand preferences regarding EOL medical treatment among community-dwelling adults (18 and older) residing in the United States and examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and EOL medical treatment preferences.

METHODS

Utilizing a cross-sectional study and snowball sampling methodology, community-dwelling adults completed a survey containing two different ADs and a questionnaire with sociodemographic information. Univariate analyses were used to summarize EOL medical treatment preferences among the sample, and bivariate analyses (Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests) were performed to examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, and race/ethnicity) and EOL medical treatment preferences.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 166 participants was 50 (SD: 21.65, range: 18-93), with 58.4% being White and 61.4% being female. Generally, when EOL scenarios involved brain damage or a coma, more participants indicated that they did not want life-support treatment. Age and race were both associated with EOL medical treatment preferences, but no significant differences were observed in the bivariate results by gender. Largely, young and middle-aged adults, along with Black participants, were more likely to prefer more aggressive EOL medical treatments than older adults and White participants.

CONCLUSION

Overall, EOL medical treatment preferences varied among participants. The study findings indicate that adults develop different preferences for EOL medical treatment, with some of the variation attributable to sociodemographic characteristics such as age and race.

Palliative Care Consultation and Associated End-of-Life Care After Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Deactivation

The presence of cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators complicates making end-of-life (EOL) medical decisions. Palliative care/medicine consultation (PCMC) may benefit patients and primary providers, but data are lacking. We retrospectively reviewed 150 charts of patients who underwent device deactivation at our tertiary care center (between November 1, 2008, and September 1, 2012), assessing for PCMC and outcomes. Overall, 42% of patients received a PCMC, and 68% of those PCMCs specifically addressed device deactivation. Median survival following deactivation was 2 days, with 42% of deaths occurring within 1 day of deactivation. There was no difference in survival between the groups. The EOL care for patients with implanted cardiac devices is complex, but PCMC may assist with symptom management and clarification of goals of care for such patients.

Spiritual background and its association with the medical decision of, DNR at terminal life stages

In recent years personal and clinical dilemmas relating to terminally ill patient-care medical, decisions have increased significantly. Although understanding the patient's medical, nursing and, social background is important, a comprehensive appraisal essential for treating the "whole patient" is, incomplete without a spirituality assessment. Religious beliefs and practices affect medical and health, care decisions and require recognition as a dynamic in coping with suffering, loss, life, and death. Taking a spiritual background obtains information that is meaningful to the patient's life and may, influence the medical decision-making relating to health. A study was undertaken to determine, whether assessing the spiritual background influences medical decisions-making regarding the use of, DNR. The target population was 46 family-member caregivers of non-communicative patients in the Herzog, Hospital Skilled Nursing ward located in Jerusalem. The spiritual assessment questionnaire was the, acronym FICA (faith, importance, community and addressing). Two-thirds of the families were opposed to a determination utilizing do not resuscitate (DNR). Multivariate, analysis of the findings found that only religious affiliation was statistically significant (p=0.003). The doctors recommend DNR in 67% of the cases while the family caregiver accepted this decision in, only 33% of the cases. The hypothesis was verified. People who are perceived as being religious or as being greatly influenced, by faith/spirituality opposed the recommendation implementing DNR. Obtaining a spiritual background assists the physician to understand the patient or family spirituality, facilitates sensitivity to value frameworks and preferences in making medical and health-related, decisions.

Preferences for life-prolonging medical treatments and deference to the will of god

We defined and measured a dimension of religiosity frequently invoked in end-of-life (EOL) research-deference to God's Will (GW)-and examined its relationship to preferences for life-prolonging treatments. In a 35-min telephone interview, 304 older men and women (60 +) were administered the 5-item GW scale, sociodemographic questions, three attitude items regarding length of life, and measures of two health indices, depression, and life-prolonging treatment preferences. The GW scale demonstrated internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .94) and predictive and discriminant validity. Higher scores indicative of greater deference to GW were associated with stronger life-prolonging treatment preferences in poor-prognosis scenarios. Implications for the role of religiosity in medical decision-making are discussed.

Cultural beliefs about a patient's right time to die: an exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Generalist physicians must often counsel patients or their families about the right time to die, but feel ill-prepared to do so. Patient beliefs may help guide the discussions.

OBJECTIVE

Because little prior research addresses such beliefs, we investigated them in this exploratory, hypothesis-generating study.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

Anticipating culture as a key influence, we interviewed 26 Mexican Americans (MAs), 18 Euro-Americans (EAs), and 14 African Americans (AAs) and content-analyzed their responses.

MAIN RESULTS

Nearly all subjects regardless of ethnic group or gender said God determines (at least partially) a patient's right time to die, and serious disease signals it. Yet subjects differed by ethnic group over other signals for that time. Patient suffering and dependence on "artificial" life support signaled it for the MAs; patient acceptance of death signaled it for the EAs; and patient suffering and family presence at or before the death signaled it for the AAs. Subjects also differed by gender over other beliefs. In all ethnic groups more men than women said the time of death is unpredictable; but more women than men said the time of death is preset, and family suffering signals it. Furthermore, most MA women--but few others--explicitly declared that family have an important say in determining a patient's right time to die. No confounding occurred by religion.

CONCLUSIONS

Americans may share some beliefs about the right time to die but differ by ethnic group or gender over other beliefs about that time. Quality end-of-life care requires accommodating such differences whenever reasonable.

Relationships between psychosocial-spiritual well-being and end-of-life preferences and values in African American dialysis patients

The objective of the study was to examine whether psychosocial and spiritual well-being is associated with African American dialysis patients' end-of-life treatment preferences and acceptance of potential outcomes of life-sustaining treatment. Fifty-one African Americans with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and interview with measures of symptom distress, health-related quality of life, psychosocial and spiritual well-being, and preferences and values related to life-sustaining treatment choices. The subjects were stratified by end-of-life treatment preferences and by acceptance of life-sustaining treatment outcomes, and compared for psychosocial and spiritual well-being, as well as sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Individuals who desired continued use of life-sustaining treatment in terminal illness or advanced dementia had significantly lower spiritual well-being (P=0.012). Individuals who valued four potential outcomes of life-sustaining treatment as unacceptable showed a more positive, adaptive well-being score in the spiritual dimension compared with the group that valued at least one outcome as acceptable (P=0.028). Religious involvement and importance of spirituality were not associated with end-of-life treatment preferences and acceptance of treatment outcomes. African Americans with ESRD expressed varied levels of psychosocial and spiritual well-being, and this characteristic was associated with life-sustaining treatment preferences. In future research, the assessment of spirituality should not be limited to its intensity or degree but extended to other dimensions.

Spirituality, religion, and clinical care

Interest in the relationship between spirituality, religion, and clinical care has increased in the last 15 years, but clinicians need more concrete guidance about this topic. This article defines spirituality and religion, identifies the fundamental spiritual issues that serious illness raises for patients, and argues that physicians have a moral obligation to address patients' spiritual concerns. Religions often provide patients with specific moral guidance about a variety of medical issues and prescribe rituals that are important to patients. Religious coping can be both positive and negative, and it can impact patient care. This article provides concrete advice about taking a spiritual history, ethical boundaries, whether to pray with patients, and when to refer patients to chaplains or to their own personal clergy.

Religion, risk, and medical decision making at the end of life

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to present empirical evidence about whether religious patients are more or less willing to undergo the risks associated with potentially life-sustaining treatment.

METHODS

At least every 4 months 226 older community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were asked questions about several dimensions of religiousness and about their willingness to accept potentially life-sustaining treatment.

RESULTS

Results were mixed but persons who said that during their illness they grew closer to God (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79; 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.15, 2.78) or those grew spiritually (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.03, 2.52) were more willing to accept risk associated with potentially life-sustaining treatment than were persons who did not report such growth.

DISCUSSION

Not all dimensions of religiousness have the same association with willingness to undergo potentially life-sustaining treatment. Seriously ill older, religious patients are not especially predisposed to avoid risk and resist treatment.

Treatment preferences and advance care planning at end of life: the role of ethnicity and spiritual coping in cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Although studies have reported ethnic differences in approaches to end of life, the role of spiritual beliefs is less well understood.

PURPOSE

This study investigated differences between African American and White patients with cancer in their use of spirituality to cope with their cancer and examined the role of spiritual coping in preferences at end-of-life.

METHODS

The authors analyzed data from interviews with 68 African American and White patients with an advanced stage of lung or colon cancer between December 1999 and June 2001.

RESULTS

Similar high percentages of African American and White patients reported being "moderately to very spiritual" and "moderately to very religious." African American patients were more likely to report using spirituality to cope with their cancer as compared to their White counterparts (p = .002). Patients who reported belief in divine intervention were less likely to have a living will (p = .007). Belief in divine intervention, turning to higher power for strength, support and guidance, and using spirituality to cope with cancer were associated with preference for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and hospitalization in a near-death scenario.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that patients with cancer who used spiritual coping to a greater extent were less likely to have a living will and more likely to desire life-sustaining measures. If efforts aimed at improving end-of-life care are to be successful, they must take into account the complex interplay of ethnicity and spirituality as they shape patients' views and preferences around end of life.

Measuring patient treatment preferences in end-of-life care research: applications for advance care planning interventions and response shift research

Understanding the dynamics of patient treatment preferences can be important for end-of life are research, and has particular salience not only to guide a process of advance care planning (ACP) but also as an outcome measure. Ascertaining the reliability and responsiveness of preferences for life-sustaining treatments within and between patients is a necessary foundation for utilizing patient-agent congruence as an outcome for ACP interventions. This study validated a modified version of the Emanuel and Emanuel Medical Directive for use in both research and clinical applications. Seriously ill patients (n = 168) were asked at baseline and 21 days to consider four common end-of-life health state scenarios, to indicate their goals for treatment, and to state their preferences for six specific treatments. We investigated the reliability and validity of this tool. We found that preferences for life-sustaining treatments were highly intercorrelated, and internally consistent across treatments by scenario and across scenarios by treatment. Preferences for pain medications were, however, distinct from preferences for other treatments. Preference scores exhibited stability over follow-up, and demonstrated both concurrent and discriminant validity. We detected a small effect size for change in preferences as a function of health state change, suggesting that re-prioritization response shifts do occur but are small in magnitude in these patient samples over this time frame. We conclude that this measure is reliable and valid for use in clinical settings and for evaluating interventions designed to improve patient-agent congruence about patient preferences for life-sustaining treatments. Clinical applications of the tool are discussed.