Table 2.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of families, patients, and physicians by family-reported conflict
| No Family-reported Conflict | Family-reported Conflict | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/n | 236 | 20 | 256 |
| Family characteristics* | |||
| Randomized to intervention, % | 51.3 | 40.0 | 50.4 |
| Age, median (IQR) | 52.0 (42.0–61.0) | 55.0 (47.0–65.0) | 52.0 (42.0–61.0) |
| Race, % | |||
| White | 79.1 | 75.0 | 78.8 |
| Black | 13.6 | 25.0 | 14.5 |
| Other or multiple race | 9.0 | 0.0 | 6.7 |
| Female sex, % | 75.8 | 70.0 | 75.4 |
| Relationship to patient, % | |||
| Partner | 44.1 | 85.0 | 47.3 |
| Child | 23.7 | 10.0 | 22.7 |
| Parent | 21.6 | 5.0 | 20.3 |
| Other | 10.6 | 0.0 | 9.8 |
| Lacks social support, % | 5.1 | 0.0 | 4.7 |
| Endorses hope for future, %† | 94.1 | 95.0 | 94.1 |
| Health literacy, median (IQR)‡ | 5.0 (3.0–6.0) | 5.0 (4.0–7.0) | 5.0 (3.0–6.0) |
| HADS score, median (IQR)§ | 14.0 (8.0–21.0) | 17.0 (13.0–24.0) | 14.0 (9.0–21.0) |
| PTSS-10 score, median (IQR)‖ | 23.0 (16.0–33.0) | 31.0 (22.0–38.0) | 24.0 (17.0–34.5) |
| Physician-perceived mistrust of ICU team, % | 5.1 | 0.0 | 4.7 |
| Family–physician discordance about patient’s survival prognosis, median (IQR)¶ | 27.0 (10.0–50.0) | 30.0 (25.0–50.0) | 29.0 (10.5–50.0) |
| Family–physician sex concordance, % | |||
| Female–female | 27.1 | 30.0 | 27.3 |
| Male–male | 14.8 | 10.0 | 14.5 |
| Discordant | 58.1 | 60.0 | 58.2 |
| Family–physician race concordance, % | |||
| White family–White physician | 63.4 | 55.0 | 62.7 |
| Black family–Black physician | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| Other concordant | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| All discordant | 35.7 | 45.0 | 36.5 |
| White family–Black physician | 3.8 | 15.0 | 4.7 |
| Black family–White physician | 11.1 | 20.0 | 11.8 |
| Other discordant | 20.9 | 10.0 | 20.0 |
| Patient characteristics | |||
| Age, median (IQR) | 57.0 (39.0–67.0) | 58.5 (46.0–67.0) | 57.0 (40.0–67.0) |
| APACHE II score at enrollment, median (IQR) | 23.0 (19.0–30.0) | 20.0 (16.5–26.0) | 23.0 (18.0–29.0) |
| Charlson comorbidity score, median (IQR) | 3.0 (1.0–6.0) | 3.5 (2.0–6.0) | 3.0 (1.0–6.0) |
| Days in ICU before randomization, median (IQR) | 12.0 (10.0–15.0) | 13.0 (9.5–15.0) | 12.0 (10.0–15.0) |
| Tracheostomy, % | |||
| None | 39.0 | 35.0 | 38.7 |
| Done before family meeting | 30.9 | 25.0 | 30.5 |
| Done after family meeting | 30.1 | 40.0 | 30.9 |
| In-hospital mortality, % | 31.4 | 30.0 | 31.3 |
| Physician characteristics*,** | |||
| N/n | 136 | 19 | 155 |
| Age, median (IQR) | 35.0 (31.0–43.0) | 34.0 (32.0–36.0) | 35.0 (31.0–43.0) |
| Female sex, % | 34.6 | 52.6 | 36.8 |
| Race, % | |||
| White | 77.2 | 73.7 | 76.8 |
| Black | 2.2 | 15.8 | 3.9 |
| Asian | 12.5 | 10.5 | 12.3 |
| Other or mixed race | 8.1 | 0.0 | 7.1 |
| Self-reported aspects of patient care inclination, % | |||
| Social–emotional | 18.8 | 22.2 | 19.2 |
| Equally social–emotional and technological–scientific | 64.7 | 66.7 | 64.9 |
| Technological–scientific | 16.5 | 11.1 | 15.9 |
| Self-reported decision-making style, % | |||
| Leads decision-making | 9.8 | 11.1 | 9.9 |
| Engages patient or family as equal partner | 74.4 | 88.9 | 76.2 |
| Allows patient or family to make decision | 15.8 | 0.0 | 13.9 |
Definition of abbreviations: APACHE = Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation; HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; ICU = intensive care unit; IQR = Q1 to Q3 interquartile range; PTSS = Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Checklist.
Missing data counts are as follows: 4 for family age from the group with no family-reported conflict, 1 for family age from the group with family-reported conflict, 1 for family race from the group with no family-reported conflict, 2 for social support from the group with no family-reported conflict, 2 for health literacy from the group with no family-reported conflict, 18 for HADS from the group with no family-reported conflict, 2 for HADS from the group with family-reported conflict, 18 for PTSS from the group with no family-reported conflict, 2 for PTSS from the group with family-reported conflict, 1 for race concordance from the group with no family-reported conflict, 15 for physician age from the group with no family-reported conflict, 1 for physician age from the group with any family-reported conflict, 3 for aspects of patient care inclination from the group with no family-reported conflict, 1 for aspects of patient care inclination from the group with any family-reported conflict, 3 for decision-making style from the group with no family-reported conflict, and 1 for decision-making style from the group with any family-reported conflict. In addition, 1 family member did not complete the conflict item.
The question assessing hope was, “I look forward to the future with hope”.
Ranging from 3 to 15 in order of decreasing health literacy.
Ranging from 0 to 42 in order of increasing depression and anxiety.
Ranging from 10 to 70 in order of increasing PTSS.
Ranging from 0 to 100 in order of increasing prognostic discordance.
Of 155 physicians, 60 participated in more than one family meeting (range, 2–7). To avoid repeat measures, if any families reported conflict with a physician, they are included in the family-reported conflict group.