National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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- Antibiotics (1)
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- (-) Palliative Care (17)
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 17 of 17 Research Studies DisplayedBogetz JF, Revette A, Rosenberg AR
"I could never prepare for something like the death of my own child": parental perspectives on preparedness at end of life for children with complex chronic conditions.
This study’s goal was to elucidate aspects important to preparedness at end of life (EOL) among bereaved parents of children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs). Participants answered 21 open-response queries on communication, decision-making, and EOL experiences as part of the Survey of Caring for Children with CCCs. Findings showed that most bereaved parents of children with CCCs described feeling unprepared for their child's EOL, despite palliative care and advance care planning, suggesting preparedness is a nuanced concept beyond "readiness." Recommendations included more research to identify supportive elements among parents facing their child's EOL.
AHRQ-funded; HS022986.
Citation: Bogetz JF, Revette A, Rosenberg AR .
"I could never prepare for something like the death of my own child": parental perspectives on preparedness at end of life for children with complex chronic conditions.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2020 Dec;60(6):1154-62.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.06.035..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Caregiving, Mortality, Chronic Conditions, Palliative Care
Glass M, Rana S, Coghlan R
Global palliative care education in the time of COVID-19.
This paper describes the Global Palliative Education Collaborative (GPEC), which is a training partnership between Harvard, University of California San Francisco, and Tulane medical schools in the U.S., and international palliative care (PC) programs in Uganda and India. U.S.-based fellowships are offered by GPEC to learn about resource-limited PC provision, gain perspectives on global challenges to caring for patients at the end of life, and cultivate resiliency. They also offer a novel educational project that the GPEC faculty and fellows are participating in called the Resilient Inspirational Storytelling Empathy Project. Palliative care has become even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Glass M, Rana S, Coghlan R .
Global palliative care education in the time of COVID-19.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2020 Oct;60(4):e14-e19. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.07.018..
Keywords: Palliative Care, COVID-19, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Training
Knutzen KE, Schifferdecker KE, Murray GF
Role of norms in variation in cancer centers' end-of-life quality: qualitative case study protocol.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Knutzen KE, Schifferdecker KE, Murray GF .
Role of norms in variation in cancer centers' end-of-life quality: qualitative case study protocol.
BMC Palliat Care 2020 Aug 27;19(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s12904-020-00641-x..
Keywords: Cancer, Quality of Life, Palliative Care, Quality of Care, Chronic Conditions
Hadler RA, Curtis BR, Ikejiani DZ
"I'd have to basically be on my deathbed": heart failure patients' perceptions of and preferences for palliative care.
This cohort study examined individuals with New York Heart Association Class II-IV disease attitude towards palliative care (PC). Participants were recruited from inpatient and outpatient settings at an academic quaternary care hospital. They were given semistructured interviews discussing perceptions, knowledge, and preferences regarding PC, and also barriers to to PC delivery by facilitators. They interviewed 27 adults with heart failure (mean age 63, 85% white, 63% male). Participants frequently confused PC with hospice but once corrected they expressed variable preferences for primary versus specialist services. Preferences for primary versus specialist PC were based on different factors. Although there was more understanding of PC after the interviews, triggers for initiation remained focused on late-stage disease.
AHRQ-funded; HS022989.
Citation: Hadler RA, Curtis BR, Ikejiani DZ .
"I'd have to basically be on my deathbed": heart failure patients' perceptions of and preferences for palliative care.
J Palliat Med 2020 Jul;23(7):915-21. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0451..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Palliative Care, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Chronic Conditions
Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This study examined end-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who died during the period 2013-2014. Data on 146,240 decedents with COPD was investigated from 306 hospital referral regions (HRRs). The overall spending during the last 2 years of life varied significantly nationwide. Inpatient care accounted for 40.2% of spending, with 82% of decedents admitted to the hospital for 13.7±3.1 days and 55%±11% admitted to an intensive care unit for 3-7 days. Skilled nursing facilities accounted for 11.6% of spending and were utilized by 31-45% of decedents for 14-23 days. Hospitals were utilized by 39-56% of decedents and accounted for 10.3% of spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT .
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Med 2020 Jul;133(7):817-24.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.11.024..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Palliative Care
Kubi B, Enumah ZO, Lee KT
Theory-based development of an implementation intervention using community health workers to increase palliative care use.
This study used the Behavior Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework models to help design an implementation intervention using community health workers (CHWs) to increase palliative care use in African American communities. There were two phases to the study. In Phase 1, focus group sessions were conducted to identify barriers and facilitators of palliative care use. Phase 2 consisted of a stakeholder meeting to select intervention content and prioritize modes of delivery after applying the framework. There were 15 stakeholders total that participated in the study. Interventions identified were designed to improve patient capability and motivation, physician capability and motivation, and increase patient opportunities to use palliative care services. The strategies were all facilitated by CHWs and included creation and dissemination of brochures, empowerment and activation of patients to initiate goals-of-care discussions, outreach to community churches, and expanding patient social support.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Kubi B, Enumah ZO, Lee KT .
Theory-based development of an implementation intervention using community health workers to increase palliative care use.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2020 Jul;60(1):10-19. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.02.009..
Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Palliative Care, Healthcare Utilization, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Implementation, Disparities, Healthcare Delivery
Iyer AS, Dionne-Odom JN, Khateeb DM
A qualitative study of pulmonary and palliative care clinician perspectives on early palliative care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Guidelines recommend that pulmonary clinicians involve palliative care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, integration before advanced stage, that is, early palliative care, is rare. The objective of this study was to explore and compare pulmonary and palliative care clinician perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and potential referral criteria for early palliative care in COPD.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Iyer AS, Dionne-Odom JN, Khateeb DM .
A qualitative study of pulmonary and palliative care clinician perspectives on early palliative care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
J Palliat Med 2020 Apr;23(4):513-26. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0355..
Keywords: Palliative Care, Respiratory Conditions, Provider: Physician
Kamal AH, Bausewein C, Casarett DJ
Standards, guidelines, and quality measures for successful specialty palliative care integration into oncology: current approaches and future directions.
This review paper discusses the need to integrate specialty palliative care into oncology and that there is robust evidence that it improves patient and health system outcomes. Three of the most cited standards/guidelines are discussed as well as quality measures related to integrated palliative and oncology care. They also recommend changes to the quality measurement framework for palliative care and a new way to match palliative care services to patients with advanced cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS023681.
Citation: Kamal AH, Bausewein C, Casarett DJ .
Standards, guidelines, and quality measures for successful specialty palliative care integration into oncology: current approaches and future directions.
J Clin Oncol 2020 Mar 20;38(9):987-94. doi: 10.1200/jco.18.02440..
Keywords: Palliative Care, Cancer, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Fiala MA, Gettinger T, Wallace CL
Cost differential associated with hospice use among older patients with multiple myeloma.
Hospice is an effective end-of-life care approach for patients with incurable illnesses such as multiple myeloma; however, it has been historically underutilized. In addition to improving quality of life, hospice enrollment reduces healthcare spending in many incurable illnesses but this has been unstudied in the myeloma population to date. This study examined the cost differential associated with hospice use among older patients with multiple myeloma.
AHRQ-funded; R24 HS019455.
Citation: Fiala MA, Gettinger T, Wallace CL .
Cost differential associated with hospice use among older patients with multiple myeloma.
J Geriatr Oncol 2020 Jan;11(1):88-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2019.06.010..
Keywords: Elderly, Palliative Care, Cancer, Healthcare Costs
Hwang D, Teno JM, Clark M
Family perceptions of quality of hospice care in the nursing home.
The investigators examined bereaved family members' perceptions of nursing home-hospice collaborations in terms of what family members believe went well or could have been improved. The focus group participants identified three major aspects of collaboration as important to care delivery: knowing who (nursing home or hospice) is responsible for which aspects of patient care, concern about information coordination between the nursing home and hospice, and the need for hospice to advocate for high-quality care rather than their having to directly do so on behalf of their family members. These concerns have been incorporated into the revised Family Evaluation of Hospice Care, a post-death survey used to evaluate quality of hospice care.
AHRQ-funded; HS019675.
Citation: Hwang D, Teno JM, Clark M .
Family perceptions of quality of hospice care in the nursing home.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2014 Dec;48(6):1100-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2014.04.003.
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Keywords: Care Coordination, Nursing Homes, Palliative Care, Quality of Care
Rocke DJ, Beumer HW, Taylor DH, Jr.
Physician and patient and caregiver health attitudes and their effect on Medicare resource allocation for patients with advanced cancer.
The investigators sought to determine how baseline attitudes toward quality vs quantity of life affect end-of-life resource allocation. They found that, compared with patients and caregivers, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) physician allocations differed significantly in all 15 benefit categories except home care. They concluded that understanding the effect of baseline attitudes is important for effective end-of-life discussions.
AHRQ-funded; HS018360.
Citation: Rocke DJ, Beumer HW, Taylor DH, Jr. .
Physician and patient and caregiver health attitudes and their effect on Medicare resource allocation for patients with advanced cancer.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014 Jun;140(6):497-503. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.494.
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Keywords: Cancer, Caregiving, Medicare, Palliative Care, Provider: Physician, Quality of Life
Huo J, Lairson DR, Du XL
Survival and cost-effectiveness of hospice care for metastatic melanoma patients.
The authors analyzed the association of hospice use with survival and health care costs among patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. They found that the median survival time was 6.1 months for patients with no hospice care, 6.5 months for patients enrolled in hospice for 1 to 3 days, and 10.2 months for patients enrolled for 4 or more days. Patients with 4 or more days of hospice care incurred lower end-of-life costs than the comparison groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Huo J, Lairson DR, Du XL .
Survival and cost-effectiveness of hospice care for metastatic melanoma patients.
Am J Manag Care 2014 May;20(5):366-73.
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Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Skin Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Kavalieratos D, Kamal AH, Abernethy AP
Comparing unmet needs between community-based palliative care patients with heart failure and patients with cancer.
This study characterized the unresolved symptom and treatment needs which patients with heart failure and those with cancer present to palliative care. It found that patients with HF presented with fewer unresolved symptoms; however, they were more likely to report dyspnea and more commonly experienced dyspnea-related treatment gaps.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032; HS017587
Citation: Kavalieratos D, Kamal AH, Abernethy AP .
Comparing unmet needs between community-based palliative care patients with heart failure and patients with cancer.
J Palliat Med. 2014 Apr;17(4):475-81. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2013.0526..
Keywords: Palliative Care, Cancer, Heart Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions
Martinez KA, Aslakson RA, Wilson RF
A systematic review of health care interventions for pain in patients with advanced cancer.
The authors sought to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of pain-focused interventions in patients with advanced cancer. In nineteen studies, they found moderate strength of evidence that pain management in advanced cancer can be improved using health care interventions, particularly nurse-led patient-centered interventions.
AHRQ-funded; 290200710061.
Citation: Martinez KA, Aslakson RA, Wilson RF .
A systematic review of health care interventions for pain in patients with advanced cancer.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2014 Feb;31(1):79-86. doi: 10.1177/1049909113476129.
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Keywords: Cancer, Comparative Effectiveness, Pain, Palliative Care, Quality Improvement
Kamal AH
Getting to proven: evaluating quality across all of palliative care.
In this letter, Kamal calls for the development of quality measures for palliative care, paying attention to procedures, multidisciplinary team members who perform multidomain assessments, the new settings of care where quality measurement should be tailored, and the care models that transition across generalist and specialist palliative care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022763.
Citation: Kamal AH .
Getting to proven: evaluating quality across all of palliative care.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2014 Jan;47(1):e1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.09.007.
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Keywords: Quality of Care, Health Services Research (HSR), Palliative Care, Quality Measures, Quality Measures
Rosenberg JH, Albrecht JS, Fromme EK
Antimicrobial use for symptom management in patients receiving hospice and palliative care: a systematic review.
This systematic review found that limited data are available on the use of antimicrobial therapy for symptom management among patients receiving palliative or hospice care. The lack of comparison between patients who did and did not receive antimicrobial therapy means that there is no accurate estimate of the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy.
AHRQ-funded; HS021068
Citation: Rosenberg JH, Albrecht JS, Fromme EK .
Antimicrobial use for symptom management in patients receiving hospice and palliative care: a systematic review.
J Palliat Med. 2013 Dec;16(12):1568-74. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2013.0276..
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Long-Term Care, Palliative Care, Outcomes
Albrecht JS, McGregor JC, Fromme EK
A nationwide analysis of antibiotic use in hospice care in the final week of life.
This study uses data form the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey to estimate antibiotic utilization in hospice care patients and identify potential infectious indications and facility and patient characteristics associated with antibiotic use in this population. It found that 27 percent of hospice patients received an antibiotic during the last seven days of life, most without a documented infectious diagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS021068
Citation: Albrecht JS, McGregor JC, Fromme EK .
A nationwide analysis of antibiotic use in hospice care in the final week of life.
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2013 Oct;46(4):483-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.09.010..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Home Healthcare, Medication, Palliative Care, Practice Patterns