ReviewBMJ open2016
Making decisions at the end of life when caring for a person with dementia: a literature review to explore the potential use of heuristics in difficult decision-making.
Review in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Enteral tube feeding for people with severe dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Acceptability of Using a Decision Aid to Support Family Carers of People With Dementia Towards the End of Life: A Qualitative Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024Article
- Views of people living with dementia and their carers on their present and future: a qualitative study.BMC palliative care · 2023Article
- Cognitive biases and moral characteristics of healthcare workers and their treatment approach for persons with advanced dementia in acute care settings.Frontiers in medicine · 2023Article
- Developing an applied model for making decisions towards the end of life about care for someone with dementia.PloS one · 2021Article
- Supporting families in end-of-life care and bereavement in the COVID-19 era.International psychogeriatrics · 2020Article
- Nurses' decision-making about cancer patients' end-of-life skin care in Wales: an exploratory mixed-method vignette study protocol.BMJ open · 2020Article
- Cachexia and advanced dementia.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2019Review
- A qualitative study exploring the difficulties influencing decision making at the end of life for people with dementia.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2018Article
- Guiding practitioners through end of life care for people with dementia: The use of heuristics.PloS one · 2018Article
- A co-design process developing heuristics for practitioners providing end of life care for people with dementia.BMC palliative care · 2016Article
- How Can Speech and Language Therapists be Supported to Make Decisions Regarding Communication Therapy for People With Dementia? A Realist Theory-Development Study.International journal of language & communication disordersArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveDecision-making, when providing care and treatment for a person with dementia at the end of life, can be complex and challenging. There is a lack of guidance available to support practitioners and family carers, and even those experienced in end of life dementia care report a lack of confidence in decision-making. It is thought that the use of heuristics (rules of thumb) may aid decision-making. The aim of this study is to identify whether heuristics are used in end of life dementia care, and if so, to identify the context in which they are being used.
designA narrative literature review was conducted taking a systematic approach to the search strategy, using the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guidelines. Rapid appraisal methodology was used in order to source specific and relevant literature regarding the use of heuristics in end of life dementia care. DATA SOURCES: A search using terms related to dementia, palliative care and decision-making was conducted across 4 English language electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL) in 2015.
resultsThe search identified 12 papers that contained an algorithm, guideline, decision tool or set of principles that we considered compatible with heuristic decision-making. The papers addressed swallowing and feeding difficulties, the treatment of pneumonia, management of pain and agitation, rationalising medication, ending life-sustaining treatment, and ensuring a good death.
conclusionsThe use of heuristics in palliative or end of life dementia care is not described in the research literature. However, this review identified important decision-making principles, which are largely a reflection of expert opinion. These principles may have the potential to be developed into simple heuristics that could be used in practice.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.