Most Americans want to die at home and receiving hospice care is a significant predictor that such a preference is realized. Nevertheless, even for hospice patients, death in an inpatient facility is increasingly common. This trend, with associated transitions in settings of care for patients, has cost and quality implications for a growing population of older adults who will need care at the end of life in an already expensive and overburdened health care system. The applicant seeks to understand and describe the beliefs and practices related to transitions within hospice care settings from the perspective of patients, family caregivers, and hospice interdisciplinary teams. The proposed ethnography will illuminate contextualized themes and lead to future research in quality and outcomes in end-of-life care. Ultimately, the applicant aims to provide direction in health policy for cost-effective, quality end-of-life care for the growing population of older adults. The proposed study will specifically address the location of care and death for older adults enrolled in formal hospice care. The training plan and proposed study are aligned well with the scope and mission of NINR, which is the lead institute on end-of-life science and palliative care.

Public Health Relevance

With the rapid proliferation of hospice inpatient care, older adults who use hospice services and their families increasingly negotiate where to receive care. Understanding the complexity of settings of care in hospice from the perspective of hospice patients, family caregivers, and hospice interdisciplinary teams will inform future interventions, measurement of quality outcomes and policy. This has the potential to impact public health by improving the continuity of care for older adults living and dying with terminal illness.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31NR013103-02
Application #
8318312
Study Section
National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group (NRRC)
Program Officer
Aziz, Noreen M
Project Start
2011-08-01
Project End
2013-01-31
Budget Start
2012-08-01
Budget End
2013-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$22,366
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pennsylvania
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
042250712
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Lysaght Hurley, Susan; Barg, Frances K; Strumpf, Neville et al. (2015) Same agency, different teams: perspectives from home and inpatient hospice care. Qual Health Res 25:923-31
Lysaght Hurley, Susan; Strumpf, Neville; Barg, Frances K et al. (2014) Not quite seamless: transitions between home and inpatient hospice. J Palliat Med 17:428-34
Lysaght, Susan; Ersek, Mary (2013) Settings of Care within Hospice: New Options and Questions about Dying ""At Home"" J Hosp Palliat Nurs 15:171-176
Corcoran, Amy M; Lysaght, Susan; Lamarra, Denise et al. (2013) Pilot test of a three-station palliative care observed structured clinical examination for multidisciplinary trainees. J Nurs Educ 52:294-8
Lysaght, Susan (2012) Crossing over... J Palliat Med 15:831