Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life
Abstract Background Little research has examined changes in prognostic awareness (PA) in the last year of life and the extent PA change was associated with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well‐being among metastatic cancer patients. Methods Two surveys were administered in the last year of life t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Cancer Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.5286 |
| _version_ | 1797893241182355456 |
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| author | Semra Ozdemir Isha Chaudhry Sean Ng Irene Teo Chetna Malhotra Eric Andrew Finkelstein COMPASS Study Group |
| author_facet | Semra Ozdemir Isha Chaudhry Sean Ng Irene Teo Chetna Malhotra Eric Andrew Finkelstein COMPASS Study Group |
| author_sort | Semra Ozdemir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Little research has examined changes in prognostic awareness (PA) in the last year of life and the extent PA change was associated with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well‐being among metastatic cancer patients. Methods Two surveys were administered in the last year of life to 176 conveniently sampled Singaporean patients with stage 4 solid cancers. PA was assessed by asking patients whether they were aware that their treatments were unlikely to cure their cancer. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the association of PA change with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well‐being. Results The proportion of patients with accurate PA increased (39.2%–45.5%; p < 0.05) from the second‐last assessment to the last assessment before death. Those with inaccurate PA decreased (26.1%–20.4%; p < 0.05) while a third of patients remained uncertain at both assessments (34.7% and 34.1%). Compared to patients with inaccurate PA at both assessments, patients who reported accurate PA at both assessments reported worsened anxiety (β = 2.08), depression (β = 3.87), and spiritual well‐being (β = −4.45) while patients who reported being uncertain about their prognosis at both assessments reported worsened spiritual well‐being (β = − 6.30) at the last assessment before death (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions Interventions should dually focus on decreasing prognostic uncertainty at the end‐of‐life while minimising the psychological and spiritual sequelae associated with being prognostically aware. More research is needed to clarify the causes of prognostic uncertainty. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:49:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a8a71a76a93a4e51ac7186fe993e45a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7634 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:49:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancer Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-a8a71a76a93a4e51ac7186fe993e45a92023-02-28T08:51:57ZengWileyCancer Medicine2045-76342023-02-011244801480810.1002/cam4.5286Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of lifeSemra Ozdemir0Isha Chaudhry1Sean Ng2Irene Teo3Chetna Malhotra4Eric Andrew Finkelstein5COMPASS Study GroupLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeLien Centre for Palliative Care Duke‐NUS Medical School SingaporeAbstract Background Little research has examined changes in prognostic awareness (PA) in the last year of life and the extent PA change was associated with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well‐being among metastatic cancer patients. Methods Two surveys were administered in the last year of life to 176 conveniently sampled Singaporean patients with stage 4 solid cancers. PA was assessed by asking patients whether they were aware that their treatments were unlikely to cure their cancer. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the association of PA change with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well‐being. Results The proportion of patients with accurate PA increased (39.2%–45.5%; p < 0.05) from the second‐last assessment to the last assessment before death. Those with inaccurate PA decreased (26.1%–20.4%; p < 0.05) while a third of patients remained uncertain at both assessments (34.7% and 34.1%). Compared to patients with inaccurate PA at both assessments, patients who reported accurate PA at both assessments reported worsened anxiety (β = 2.08), depression (β = 3.87), and spiritual well‐being (β = −4.45) while patients who reported being uncertain about their prognosis at both assessments reported worsened spiritual well‐being (β = − 6.30) at the last assessment before death (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions Interventions should dually focus on decreasing prognostic uncertainty at the end‐of‐life while minimising the psychological and spiritual sequelae associated with being prognostically aware. More research is needed to clarify the causes of prognostic uncertainty.https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.5286anxietyawarenessdepressionpolicypsychologyquality of life |
| spellingShingle | Semra Ozdemir Isha Chaudhry Sean Ng Irene Teo Chetna Malhotra Eric Andrew Finkelstein COMPASS Study Group Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life Cancer Medicine anxiety awareness depression policy psychology quality of life |
| title | Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| title_full | Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| title_fullStr | Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| title_short | Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| title_sort | prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life |
| topic | anxiety awareness depression policy psychology quality of life |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.5286 |
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