查看文章

To examine agreement between patients, caregivers, and clinicians regarding prognosis communication and to examine patients' and caregivers' desire for prognostic information.

Design: Cross‐sectional survey.

Setting: Participants' homes.

Participants: Two hundred fourteen persons aged 60 and older with a limited life expectancy secondary to cancer, congestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; caregivers; and clinicians.

Measurements: Patient–clinician and caregiver–clinician agreement about the occurrence of prognosis discussions and patient and caregiver desire for prognostic information.

Results: In 46% of patient/clinician and 34% of caregiver/clinician pairs, the clinician reported saying that the patient could die of the underlying disease, whereas the patient or caregiver reported no discussion. In 23% of patient/clinician and 30% of patient/caregiver pairs, the clinician …