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Recent Data Looks at Differences in Care for Certain Illnesses, Races

Posted On: 07-15-2016
Recent Data Looks at Differences in Care for Certain Illnesses, Races
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine showed that factors such as ethnicity, race, and type of illness can affect the type of care that a patient receives in the end of their life. It can also influence the level of satisfaction their family members have with the care.

The study surveyed the families of more than 34,000 patients who died in the VA health system between the years 2009 and 2012. The questions were centered around the overall care and how the patients’ and families’ needs were met. In addition to the families’ responses, the medical records of the patients were also examined.

The lead author of the study, and physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Melissa Wachterman indicated that patients with cancer and dementia tend to have better palliative care and less deaths in intensive care units. In fact, only half of patients with conditions such as heart failure and end-stage renal disease received palliative care, compared to about 61 percent of dementia patients and 73 percent of cancer patients. The rate of heart failure and end-stage renal disease patients who died in the intensive care unit were also more than double the rates for cancer and dementia patients.

A separate set of data, which involved more than 50,000 patients who died in the same health system between the years 2009 and 2014, looked at racial disparities. Researchers discovered that white veterans were more likely to receive spiritual care than black veterans.

The study indicates that more progress needs to be made to provide palliative care for medical conditions outside of cancer and dementia, so that the needs of all patients can be met. Further, more steps need to be taken to remove racial disparities and to help doctors understand the wishes of patients.

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