Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35260460›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Perspective of geriatric patients on advance care planning in Denmark: a qualitative study.

Kirstine Dahmke, Elisabeth Nielsen-Hannerup, Ida Søndergaard Madsen, Sofie Rerup, Emilie Ramberg, Maurice A Lembeck, Hanne Pedersen, Ellen Astrid Holm

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kirstine DahmkeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Nykobing, Denmark.
Elisabeth Nielsen-HannerupDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Nykobing, Denmark.
Ida Søndergaard MadsenDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Nykobing, Denmark.
Sofie RerupDepartment of Social Medicine, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Emilie RambergDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Nykobing, Denmark.
Maurice A LembeckDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nykøbing Falster Sygehus, Nykobing, Denmark.
Hanne PedersenInternal Medicine, Zealand University Hospital Koge, Koge, Denmark.
Ellen Astrid HolmInternal Medicine, Zealand University Hospital Koge, Koge, Denmark ellh@regionsjaelland.dk.ORCID 0000-0002-7600-6025

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMost previous studies on advance care planning (ACP) have focused on patients with specific diseases and only a few on frail ageing individuals. We therefore decided to examine the perspective of geriatric patients on ACP. Our research questions include if, when, with whom and with which content geriatric patients wish to have ACP conversations.

designParticipants were interviewed either in the hospital or in their own home. The interviewer followed a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using the systemic text condensation method.

settingGeriatric department in a regional hospital in a rural area in Region Zealand, Denmark.

participantsWe included 11 geriatric patients aged above 65 who had been referred for geriatric inpatient or outpatient assessment. Participants were clinically judged by experienced geriatricians to have sufficient physical and mental capacity to take part in an interview.

resultsThis study's main finding is that geriatric patients have varying preferences and feelings towards ACP. Some expressed concerns about ACP, especially regarding personal fear to talk about end-of-life (EOL) decisions, and whether a busy healthcare system has the resources to conduct ACP. Proper timing of ACP seemed unrelated to specific age but related to perception of health situation. The health professional involved should be well trained and a person the participant could trust. Most participants wanted family members to participate. Concerning content, participants mentioned quality of life, fear of losing their spouse, earlier experience with death, and practical concerns regarding funeral and will.

conclusionAmong geriatric patients, feelings towards ACP are mixed. Even participants who were generally positive towards the concept uttered concerns about the circumstances when talking about EOL topics. Health professionals therefore should approach ACP discussions with caution. Further studies aiming to develop guidelines describing the proper way to introduce and perform ACP in this patient group are needed.

Indexed as

Advance Care PlanningQuality of LifeAgedDenmarkFamilyHumansQualitative Researchgeneral medicine (see internal medicine)geriatric medicinemedical ethicspalliative care

Identifiers

PMID35260460
PMCPMC8905984

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.