Hospice Use for Infants With Life-Threatening Health Conditions, 2007 to 2010.
Lisa C Lindley, Katherine M Newnam
PMID 27245660WHAT IT FOUND
Infants who died were rarely in hospice.
Girls and infants with congenital anomalies were more likely to enroll and stay longer, while those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions were less likely.
Key findings
01Slightly more than 15% of infants enrolled in hospice care, with an average length of stay of 5 days.
02Girls were more likely than boys to enroll in hospice care and to stay longer.
03Infants with congenital anomalies were more likely to enroll and stay longer, while those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions were less likely.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study used Medicaid claims from California only, so it may not apply to infants in other states or with other insurance. It included only the last calendar year of life, so hospice days may have been under-counted for some infants. The study included 207 infants, which may limit how much weight to give the associations. It was an observational study of associations, not a trial, so it cannot show that any factor caused hospice use.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that girls or infants with congenital anomalies cause more hospice use, or that hospice care improves outcomes. This was an observational study of Medicaid claims, so it shows associations, not proof of cause or benefit.