Use of video to facilitate end-of-life discussions with patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the use of a goals-of-care video to supplement a verbal description can improve end-of-life decision making for patients with cancer.


METHODS
Fifty participants with malignant glioma were randomly assigned to either a verbal narrative of goals-of-care options at the end of life (control), or a video after the same verbal narrative (intervention) in this randomized controlled trial. The video depicts three levels of medical care: life-prolonging care (cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], ventilation), basic care (hospitalization, no CPR), and comfort care (symptom relief). The primary study outcome was participants' preferences for end-of-life care. The secondary outcome was participants' uncertainty regarding decision making (score range, 3 to 15; higher score indicating less uncertainty). Participants' comfort level with the video was also measured.


RESULTS
Fifty participants were randomly assigned to either the verbal narrative (n = 27) or video (n = 23). After the verbal description, 25.9% of participants preferred life-prolonging care, 51.9% basic care, and 22.2% comfort care. In the video arm, no participants preferred life-prolonging care, 4.4% preferred basic care, 91.3% preferred comfort care, and 4.4% were uncertain (P < .0001). The mean uncertainty score was higher in the video group than in the verbal group (13.7 v 11.5, respectively; P < .002). In the intervention arm, 82.6% of participants reported being very comfortable watching the video.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with participants who only heard a verbal description, participants who viewed a goals-of-care video were more likely to prefer comfort care and avoid CPR, and were more certain of their end-of-life decision making. Participants reported feeling comfortable watching the video.
El-Jawahri
Areej
A
Departments of Medicine, Neurology and Cancer Center, and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford St, 9th floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Podgurski
Lisa M
LM
Eichler
April F
AF
Plotkin
Scott R
SR
Temel
Jennifer S
JS
Mitchell
Susan L
SL
Chang
Yuchiao
Y
Barry
Michael J
MJ
Volandes
Angelo E
AE
D032722:Advance Care Planning; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D057240:Patient Preference; D013727:Terminal Care; D014743:Videotape Recording