The influence of religion/spirituality (R/S) on end of life (EOL) outcomes among patients of Dharmic religions with cancer: A mixed methods study.

Authors

Rushil Patel

Rushil Virendra Patel

Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC

Rushil Virendra Patel, Jill M Bowden, Danielle Boselli, Ashley Elizabeth Strahley, Sydney-Evelyn L. Gibbs, Ritesh R Kotecha, Komal P Murali, Viraj R Patel, Judith Eve Nelson

Organizations

Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell College of Medicine, New York, NY, New York University, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, NY, The University of Chicago Divinity School, Chicago, IL

Research Funding

Other
Frances Young Tang Fellowship in Palliative Medicine, Atrium Health Foundation, U.S. National Institutes of Health

Background: Spiritual support of cancer patients has been associated with improved EOL outcomes; however, little is known about EOL experiences among cancer patients who identify with a Dharmic religion (DR; Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism). This study used mixed methods to evaluate utilization and EOL care preferences among DR cancer patients. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a separate retrospective study of utilization of chaplaincy services by patients hospitalized at a specialty cancer center in New York City between 2015 and 2019. This database included information about patients' religious identification and about accepted measures of EOL care utilization: hospice enrollment in the last 3 days; chemotherapy use in the last 14 days; urgent care center (UCC) visits or ICU admissions within the last 30 days; and inpatient deaths. Bivariate analyses examined associations between religious identification and EOL care metrics. In 2020, we prospectively conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore EOL care preferences among DR patients with cancer at this hospital. Data were coded and analyzed independently and iteratively by two investigators, and themes were identified. Results: Among 28711 patients (99% NDR), DR patients had significantly higher rates of EOL care utilization on every measure (Table). Only 41% of DR patients had ≥ 1 chaplaincy visit. Twenty-two patients (91% Hindu, 9% Sikh) and 11 NDR chaplains were interviewed. Few patients felt religion influenced their preferences for CPR and intubation. Some patients felt uncomfortable discussing EOL practices with their care team, and several chaplains acknowledged lacking knowledge in EOL practices. To improve EOL care for DR patients, chaplains suggested improving chaplaincy training and developing relationships with community-based leaders and volunteers. Conclusions: While DR patients had higher EOL care utilization, most did not report religion influenced their EOL care preferences. Chaplains’ unfamiliarity with DR-specific EOL practices was identified as a barrier. Future work to optimize EOL care for DR patients should improve chaplaincy training and access to faith-concordant spiritual care providers.

EOL outcomes.
MeasureDR (n=382)Non-DR (n=28329)P-value
Hospice enrollment in the last 3 days of life20 (5.2%)606 (2.1%)<0.001
Chemotherapy use in the last 14 days42 (11%)2183 (7.7%)0.021
UCC visit within within the last 30 days of life184 (48%)6538 (23%)<0.001
ICU level care within the last 30 days of life47 (12%)1456 (5.1%)<0.001
Inpatient deaths105 (28%)3519 (12%)<0.001

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Palliative and Supportive Care

Sub Track

End-of-Life Care

Citation

JCO Oncol Pract 19, 2023 (suppl 11; abstr 230)

DOI

10.1200/OP.2023.19.11_suppl.230

Abstract #

230

Poster Bd #

G11

Abstract Disclosures

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