Coping styles, health status and advance care planning in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Abstract

This study evaluated whether measures of psychological well-being, including coping style, are associated with advance care planning (ACP). Data were from the Hematology Communications Study (HEMA-COMM), a prospective observational study of physician-patient communication in patients with hematologic malignancies. ACP was defined as having a living will, having a health care proxy, discussing life support with family or friends and discussing life support with a doctor or nurse. A total of 293 patients participated: only 45 (15%) had all the elements of ACP; 215 (73%) had at least one element of ACP, while 33 (11%) did not engage in ACP. In multivariate analysis, specific coping styles but not other measures of psychosocial well-being were associated with having written ACP. Verbal ACP was associated with patient-reported health and physician estimate of life expectancy. Our study suggests that tailoring ACP discussions to a patient's coping style may increase engagement in ACP.

• Authors: Fausto R Loberiza Jr, Barbara A Swore-Fletcher, Susan D Block, Anthony L Back, Roberta E Goldman, James A Tulsky, Stephanie J Lee
• Journal: Leukemia & lymphoma (Leuk Lymphoma) Vol. 52 Issue 12 Pg. 2342-8 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1029-2403 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21851220 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Topics

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Advance Care Planning
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Health Status
• Hematologic Neoplasms (psychology)
• Humans
• Life Expectancy
• Life Support Care (psychology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Physician-Patient Relations
• Young Adult