Table 1.
Discussed Prognosis and Goal of Care | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Characteristic | No Discussion (n = 61) | Comfort Care (n = 84) | Prolong Life (n = 94) | P Value* |
Mean age, y | 67.3 | 72.1 | 61.2 | .001 |
Age, % | ||||
<50 y | 5.0 | 3.7 | 11.6 | .002 |
50–59 y | 3.3 | 3.7 | 6.6 | NS |
60–69 y | 5.8 | 3.7 | 7.0 | NS |
≥70 y | 12.0 | 23.7 | 13.7 | .001 |
Female, % | 41.0 | 52.4 | 38.3 | .06 |
Race, % | ||||
White | 71.7 | 65.0 | 62.6 | NS |
Black | 13.3 | 12.5 | 20.9 | NS |
Hispanic | 10.0 | 16.3 | 12.1 | NS |
Other | 5.0 | 4.3 | 6.0 | NS |
High school education or more, % | 73.0 | 69.5 | 66.0 | NS |
Religious affiliation, % | ||||
None | 32.2 | 30.8 | 37.7 | NS |
Christian | 60.7 | 59.8 | 56.5 | NS |
Jewish | 5.1 | 7.7 | 4.7 | NS |
Other | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.3 | NS |
Insurance, % | ||||
Commercial fee-for-service | 12.7 | 7.3 | 8.5 | NS |
Commercial HMO | 3.2 | 4.9 | 8.5 | NS |
Medicare fee-for-service | 44.4 | 47.6 | 35.1 | NS |
Medicare HMO | 15.9 | 13.4 | 7.5 | NS |
Medicaid | 6.4 | 14.6 | 22.3 | NS |
Uninsured | 11.1 | 8.5 | 9.6 | NS |
Mean Charlson comorbidity score | 4.90 | 4.29 | 4.14 | NS |
Charlson score ≥5, % | 45.0 | 44.4 | 33.3 | NS |
Any cancer, % | 49.2 | 41.5 | 42.6 | NS |
Metastatic cancer, % | 8.5 | 6.8 | 9.8 | NS |
Congestive heart failure, % | 9.4 | 11.1 | 10.6 | NS |
Cerebrovascular disease, % | 4.7 | 4.3 | 3.4 | NS |
Prior myocardial infarction, % | 4.3 | 6.8 | 5.5 | NS |
Chronic pulmonary disease, % | 4.3 | 8.5 | 8.5 | NS |
Diabetes with end-organ damage, % | 1.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | NS |
End-stage liver disease, % | 3.0 | 3.6 | 6.0 | NS |
Renal failure (creatinine>3.0), % | 6.4 | 8.5 | 10.2 | NS |
Documented confusion or proxy required to complete interview, % | 31.8 | 53.6 | 36.2 | .04 |
Duration of patient-physician relationship, % | ||||
Hospitalization only | 61.1 | 50.6 | 61.3 | NS |
>Hospitalization but ≤1 y | 33.3 | 15.7 | 16.1 | NS |
≥1 y | 5.6 | 33.7 | 22.6 | NS |
P value compares the difference between comfort care and prolong life recommendations. NS indicates not significant.