The role of primary caregiver denial in inpatient placement during home hospice care.
This study conducted with a sample of 68 home hospice patients revealed that primary caregivers in denial of the patient's terminality were more likely to place hospice patients in inpatient treatment. Moreover, patients placed in inpatient settings were more likely to die there, rather than at home as planned. These findings suggest an impact of primary caregiver denial upon patient self-determination, and indicate the importance of addressing denial in counseling with primary caregivers of terminally ill patients.
Reese
D J
DJ
Department of Social Work, University of North Dakota, USA. dona_reese@mail.und.nodak.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D016414:Resuscitation Orders