title: Understanding disparities in aggressive care preferences between patients with terminal illness and their family members.
abstract: We examined the factors associated with the disparity in aggressive care preferences between patients with terminal cancer and their family members. Two hundred forty-four consecutive pairs recruited from three university hospitals participated in this study. Each pair completed questionnaires that measured two major aggressive care preferences-admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Sixty-eight percent of patients and their family members were in agreement regarding admission to the ICU and 71% agreed regarding CPR. Regarding admission to the ICU, younger, unmarried patients and patients who preferred to die in an institution were more likely to have a different preference from their family caregivers. Regarding CPR, younger patients and patients from severely dysfunctional families were more likely to have a different preference from their family caregivers. Elucidation of the factors associated with such disparities should help reduce them.
authors.affiliation: Quality of Cancer Care Branch (Y.H.Y., C.H.Y., J.S.L., S.M.P.), National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea. lawyun08@ncc.re.kr
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Chang Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Jung Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Geol
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Susie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003422:Critical Care; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013727:Terminal Care