title: Palliative care intervention in the intensive care unit: comparing outcomes among seriously ill Asian patients and those of other ethnicities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature describing the attitude of Asians toward palliative care in the intensive care unit (ICU) is scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of Asians and people of other ethnicities after palliative care intervention in the ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was conducted of all ICU patients evaluated by palliative care; the outcomes measured were incidence of life-sustaining treatments, institution of advance care directives, and preferences for end-of-life care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The palliative care team evaluated 119 patients (46.2 percent Caucasian, 27.2 percent Asian, and 26.1 percent other ethnicities). There were no differences in demographics or clinical variables. Thirty-six percent of the Asians, 49 percent of the Caucasians, and 28.6 percent of the patients of other ethnicities (p = 0.19) had healthcare proxies. The palliative care team increased advance care directives by more than 40 percent in all groups (p < 0.001). There were no differences in the use of life-sustaining treatments or preferences for comfort measures among ethnic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asians are as likely as people of other ethnicities to decide on advance care directives, life-sustaining treatments, and comfort measures after palliative care evaluation in the ICU.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Haijun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Simcha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: Cynthia X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010166:Palliative Care; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies