Balancing Hope and Truth-telling for Patients with Cancer or COPD
Principal Investigator: JR Curtis
Research Grant: National Institute of Health / NINR, January 2003 to December 2005
This study examined the perspectives of patients with terminal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), their families, and their health care providers concerning balancing hopeful and truthful information about prognoses. The objective of this study was to develop strategies for clinicians to use throughout the course of a life-limiting disease to support patients in their dual needs for hope and truthfulness. These strategies will be developed into an intervention targeting nurses and physicians who provide care for patients with cancer and COPD.
Publications from this study include:
Reinke LF, Shannon SE, Engelberg RA, Young JP, Curtis JR. Supporting hope and prognostic information: nurses’ perspectives on their role when patients have life-limiting prognoses. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2010 Jun;39(6):982-92.
Back AL, Young JP, McCown E, Engelberg RA, Vig EK, Reinke LF, Wenrich MD, McGrath BB, Curtis JR. Abandonment at the end of life from patient, caregiver, nurse, and physician perspectives: loss of continuity and lack of closure. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Mar 9;169(5):474-9.
Curtis JR, Engelberg R, Young JP, Vig LK, Reinke LF, Wenrich MD, McGrath B, McCown E, Back AL. An approach to understanding the interaction of hope and desire for explicit prognostic information among Individuals with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or advanced cancer. J Palliat Med. 2008 May;11(4):610-20.
Reinke LF, Engelberg RA, Shannon SE, Wenrich MD, Vig EK, BackAL, Curtis JR. Transitions regarding palliative and end-of-life care in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or advanced cancer: themes identified by patients, families, and clinicians. J Palliat Med. 2008 May;11(4):601-9.