DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study

Considerable concern has arisen during the Covid pandemic over the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation decisions (DNACPRs) in England and Wales, particularly around the potential blanket application of them on older adults and those with learning disabilities. In this article, we set...

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Main Authors: Bows, H, Herring, JJW
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press 2022
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author Bows, H
Herring, JJW
author_facet Bows, H
Herring, JJW
author_sort Bows, H
collection OXFORD
description Considerable concern has arisen during the Covid pandemic over the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation decisions (DNACPRs) in England and Wales, particularly around the potential blanket application of them on older adults and those with learning disabilities. In this article, we set out the legal background to DNACPRs in England and the concerns raised during Covid. We also report on an empirical study that examined the use of DNACPRs across 23 Trusts in England, which found overall increases in the number of patients with a DNACPR decision during the two main Covid 'waves' (23 March 2020-31 January 2021) compared with the previous year. We found that these increases were largest among those in mid-life age groups, despite older patients (in particular, older women) having a higher number of DNACPR decisions overall. However, further analysis revealed that DNACPR decisions remained fairly consistent with regard to patient sex and age, with small reductions seen in the oldest age groups. We found that a disproportionate number of Black Caribbean patients had a DNACPR decision. Overall, approximately one in five patients was not consulted about the DNACPR decision, but during the first Covid wave more patients were consulted than pre-Covid.
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spelling oxford-uuid:3ca9a32d-2f9b-46f9-aee4-a15ce11bfc142023-08-10T14:21:18ZDNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:3ca9a32d-2f9b-46f9-aee4-a15ce11bfc14EnglishSymplectic ElementsOxford University Press2022Bows, HHerring, JJWConsiderable concern has arisen during the Covid pandemic over the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation decisions (DNACPRs) in England and Wales, particularly around the potential blanket application of them on older adults and those with learning disabilities. In this article, we set out the legal background to DNACPRs in England and the concerns raised during Covid. We also report on an empirical study that examined the use of DNACPRs across 23 Trusts in England, which found overall increases in the number of patients with a DNACPR decision during the two main Covid 'waves' (23 March 2020-31 January 2021) compared with the previous year. We found that these increases were largest among those in mid-life age groups, despite older patients (in particular, older women) having a higher number of DNACPR decisions overall. However, further analysis revealed that DNACPR decisions remained fairly consistent with regard to patient sex and age, with small reductions seen in the oldest age groups. We found that a disproportionate number of Black Caribbean patients had a DNACPR decision. Overall, approximately one in five patients was not consulted about the DNACPR decision, but during the first Covid wave more patients were consulted than pre-Covid.
spellingShingle Bows, H
Herring, JJW
DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title_full DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title_fullStr DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title_full_unstemmed DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title_short DNACPR decisions during Covid-19: an empirical and analytical study
title_sort dnacpr decisions during covid 19 an empirical and analytical study
work_keys_str_mv AT bowsh dnacprdecisionsduringcovid19anempiricalandanalyticalstudy
AT herringjjw dnacprdecisionsduringcovid19anempiricalandanalyticalstudy