This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kara Zivin Bambauer Articles by Gillick, M. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kara Zivin Bambauer, Articles by Gillick, M. R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Effect of Underlying Health Status on Patient or Surrogate Preferences for End-of-Life Care: A Pilot Study

Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Muriel R. Gillick, MD

Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, mgillick{at}partners.org., Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Boston, Massachusetts, mgillick{at}partners.org.

This study explored the role of health status, as measured by the Palliative Performance Score, in shaping patient preferences for end-of-life care. Scores were correlated with 3 potential goals of care: prolonging life, maintaining function, and maximizing comfort among patients seen in palliative care consultation. Eighty-six patients expressed treatment preferences: 16 (19%) preferred prolonging life, 23 (27%) preferred maintaining function, and 47 (54%) preferred maximizing comfort (P < .0001); their average scores ± standard deviation were, respectively, 51.9 ± 19.4, 56.5 ± 16.7, and 45.3 ± 14.1 (P = .0459). There was a significant relationship between patient preferences and Palliative Performance Score, with lower scores indicating preferences for comfort and higher scores indicating a preference for maintaining function and life expectancy. Further research is needed to test the sensitivity of health status, as measured by the Palliative Performance Score, in affecting patient preferences.

Key Words: health status • preferences • goals of care • Palliative Performance Scale

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 24, No. 3, 185-190 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1049909106299062


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?