end of life decisions for family members

1–6 However, AA experiences with end-of-life decision making and factors that influence the decision to select life-prolonging treatments over comfort-focused care are not well understood. To reduce decisional conflict and decision regret at the end of life, future studies should identify strategies to improve family member–provider communication, while considering relevant family member and decedent characteristics.Ī frican Americans' (AA) tendency to choose life-prolonging treatments over comfort-focused care at the end of life is well documented. Although AAs' preference for aggressive end-of-life care is well-documented, we found that receipt of CFC was associated with less decision regret. Family members who reported stronger beliefs and values had higher quality of communication with providers and lower decisional conflict.Ĭonclusions: This research adds to a small body of literature on correlates of end-of-life decision outcomes among AAs. Family members of decedents who received comfort-focused care (CFC) had significantly less decision regret than family members of those who received life-prolonging treatment (LPT). Results: Family members who reported higher quality of communication with health care providers had lower decisional conflict. Measurements used were the Decisional Conflict, Decision Regret, Beliefs and Values, and Quality of Communication scales.

Forty-nine bereaved AA family members of AA decedents with serious illness who died two to six months prior to enrollment were recruited from the palliative care program in a safety net hospital and a metropolitan church in the Midwest. Binary logistic and linear regressions were used to identify factors associated with decision regret and decisional conflict. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Objective: The study objective was to examine factors that influence African American (AA) family members' end-of-life care decision outcomes for a relative who recently died from serious illness.

End of life decisions for family members