Understanding End-of-Life Care Quality
Author Information
Author(s): Mahmoud Kafayat, Carr Deborah, Ekerdt David
Primary Institution: Boston University, University of Kansas
Hypothesis
Do proxy relationships to decedents affect reported quality of end-of-life care?
Conclusion
Proxy caregivers' assessments of end-of-life care vary significantly based on their relationship to the decedent.
Supporting Evidence
- Overall care ratings are highly correlated with perceptions of personal care needs met.
- Paid caregiver proxies give more positive assessments of care relative to spouses and children of decedents.
- Adult children proxies offer more positive assessments of care decisions and wantedness.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different people who care for someone at the end of their life see the quality of care they receive, and it finds that family members and paid caregivers have different opinions.
Methodology
The study used 13 waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study and various statistical analyses to evaluate end-of-life care quality.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in assessments based on the proxy's relationship to the decedent.
Limitations
The study relies on proxy-reported measures, which may not fully capture the decedent's experience.
Participant Demographics
Participants included various proxies for decedents, such as spouses and adult children.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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