Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?

Background: Health care proxy (HCP) completion rates by older adults are relatively low; however, not much is known about proxy completion rates by younger adults. Objectives: This study aimed to identify HCP completion rates amongst 18–21 year old young adults without intellectual disabilities admi...

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Main Authors: Matthew C. Spence, Theresa Serra, Elissa Gross
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-01-01
Series:Health Care Transitions
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000259
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author Matthew C. Spence
Theresa Serra
Elissa Gross
author_facet Matthew C. Spence
Theresa Serra
Elissa Gross
author_sort Matthew C. Spence
collection DOAJ
description Background: Health care proxy (HCP) completion rates by older adults are relatively low; however, not much is known about proxy completion rates by younger adults. Objectives: This study aimed to identify HCP completion rates amongst 18–21 year old young adults without intellectual disabilities admitted to a pediatric hospital peri-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and determine whether there was an association with any demographic factors. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed to describe demographic variables, presence of HCP, and relationship to proxy. The relationship between demographic groups and HCP completion was analyzed by chi-square analysis for categorical variables and student t-test for continuous variables. Results: Overall, 31.4 % (128/408) of patients completed an HCP, and younger patients were more likely to have done so. Analysis showed no statistically significant relationship between other demographic variables and HCP completion. A majority of patients identified a parent as their proxy. Conclusion: Less than one third of young adult patients admitted to a children’s hospital perioperative care unit completed a health care proxy. Other than age, there was no statistically significant difference in demographic variables between those who completed and did not complete a health care proxy. Further research is needed to validate these findings in other clinical settings and drive targeted initiatives to increase advance care planning among young adult patients.
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spelling doaj.art-b89f2924c6f34a96bd1018c55432fcca2024-03-29T05:52:41ZengElsevierHealth Care Transitions2949-92322023-01-011100025Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?Matthew C. Spence0Theresa Serra1Elissa Gross2Children's Hospital at Montefiore, 3415 Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467, USA; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Correspondence to: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care and Hospital Medicine, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, 3959 Broadway, New York, NY 10032, USA.Children's Hospital at Montefiore, 3415 Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467, USA; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USAChildren's Hospital at Montefiore, 3415 Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467, USA; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USABackground: Health care proxy (HCP) completion rates by older adults are relatively low; however, not much is known about proxy completion rates by younger adults. Objectives: This study aimed to identify HCP completion rates amongst 18–21 year old young adults without intellectual disabilities admitted to a pediatric hospital peri-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and determine whether there was an association with any demographic factors. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed to describe demographic variables, presence of HCP, and relationship to proxy. The relationship between demographic groups and HCP completion was analyzed by chi-square analysis for categorical variables and student t-test for continuous variables. Results: Overall, 31.4 % (128/408) of patients completed an HCP, and younger patients were more likely to have done so. Analysis showed no statistically significant relationship between other demographic variables and HCP completion. A majority of patients identified a parent as their proxy. Conclusion: Less than one third of young adult patients admitted to a children’s hospital perioperative care unit completed a health care proxy. Other than age, there was no statistically significant difference in demographic variables between those who completed and did not complete a health care proxy. Further research is needed to validate these findings in other clinical settings and drive targeted initiatives to increase advance care planning among young adult patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000259Health Care ProxyHealth Care WishesYoung adultsHospital MedicineHealthCare Transition
spellingShingle Matthew C. Spence
Theresa Serra
Elissa Gross
Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
Health Care Transitions
Health Care Proxy
Health Care Wishes
Young adults
Hospital Medicine
Health
Care Transition
title Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
title_full Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
title_fullStr Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
title_full_unstemmed Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
title_short Do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia?
title_sort do young adults complete health care proxies before anesthesia
topic Health Care Proxy
Health Care Wishes
Young adults
Hospital Medicine
Health
Care Transition
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923223000259
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