Li Livin ing Well at t the he End o of Li Life: Oregon on and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

THE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION OF FTI CONSULTING

Li Livin ing Well at t the he End o

• f Li

Life: Oregon

• n and Washingt

gton

• n S

Survey R y Results

Methodology

• This is the second installment of the

Regence/National Journal “Living Well at the End of Life” poll commissioned by National Journal and conducted by FD.

• The survey fielded June 15-16 & 18-19, 2011

among:

– A sample of 600 registered voters each in Washington and Oregon. Margin of error +/- 4.0%.

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Summary of Key Findings

There is strong public support in Oregon and Washington for the underlying principles of palliative care. There is high “demand” for palliative care and people assume this type of care is available to them. Voters are pleased with their state’s options to ease pain and suffering and focus on quality of life. They assume these options are available to them. However, they’re not familiar with the term “palliative care” and not sure how easily they and others can access it. Even in these states that have more history with and knowledge

• f end-of-life issues, more education around palliative care and

how to access it is needed.

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Belief in the primary importance of enhancing the quality of life for patients is higher in Oregon and Washington than nationally. National

(FEB-11)

Oregon

71% 85% 83% 23% 11% 14%

Washington

Enhance Extend Enhance Extend Enhance Extend Which statement comes closer to your point of view?

It is more important to ENHANCE the quality of life for seriously ill patients, even if it means a shorter life …OR… It is more important to EXTEND the life of seriously ill patients through every medical intervention possible.

Weekly Churchgoers: 76% - 21% Weekly Churchgoers: 77% - 16% Weekly Churchgoers: 68% - 24%

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Agree Disagree

There is strong agreement about patients being allowed to control their treatment options, including when and where to die.

Agree Disagree

Oregon Washington

When I approach the end of my life, I should be allowed to control my end-of-life treatment options, including choosing to decline life- extending treatment options and choosing when and where to die Seriously ill patients should be allowed to control their end-of-life treatment options, including choosing to decline life-extending treatment options and choosing when and where to die

95% 96%

5% 4%

Strongly Agree 85% Strongly Agree 87%

Agree Disagree Agree Disagree

Oregon Washington

94% 93%

4% 6%

Strongly Agree 85% Strongly Agree 81%

77% 70%

20% 27%

With explanation, POLST is extremely well-received and Death With Dignity is viewed more favorably than before.

Fav Unfav Fav Unfav

Oregon Washington

The Death with Dignity Act was approved by Oregon voters in 1994 and reaffirmed in 1997 / approved by Washington voters in 2008. This act allows doctors to prescribe medicine for some of the most seriously ill patients to take in

• rder to voluntarily bring about their own death.

The POLST Program is an initiative developed by doctors and policymakers in the state through which seriously ill patients have their wishes and preferences for life-sustaining treatments documented on a medical order and signed by a

• doctor. POLST forms carry the full weight of a

medical order, meaning that a patient’s wish to receive or not receive life-sustaining treatment must be followed by other medical professionals.

Very Fav 52% Very Fav 44%

91% 85%

5% 12%

Fav Unfav Fav Unfav

Oregon Washington

Very Fav 56% Very Fav 49% REP: 60% - 39% IND: 74% - 19% DEM: 92% - 7% Weekly Church: 49% - 46% REP: 48% - 46% IND: 70% - 29% DEM: 85% - 12% Weekly Church: 38% - 58% REP: 86% - 9% IND: 92% - 5% DEM: 94% - 4% Weekly Church: 87% - 9% REP: 85% - 13% IND: 83% - 14% DEM: 87% - 9% Weekly Church: 85% - 12%

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52% 17% 31% Unique Common Don't Know

Oregon voters are considerably more likely to say that policies like POLST and DWDA are unique among other states in the country.

32% 37% 31% Unique Common Don't Know

Do you believe that these policies in (Oregon/Washington) are unique compared to most other states in the country, or are they fairly common compared to most other states? Oregon Washington

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Though many voters admit some hesitation, the public in both states say they support these policies because they provide choices and options for patients at the end of life. .

I fully support these policies without hesitation because they are the right approach to give people the greatest choice when it comes to end-of-life care.

OR WA

I have some hesitations about these policies, but I support them because I think they at least help create some more

• ptions for people on end-of life care.

I oppose these policies, but I think they bring up some good points about the need for more options on end-of-life care. I fully oppose these policies because they take the state in the wrong direction on these issues.

48% 38% 9% 3% 5% 12% 40% 41%

Which statement comes closest to your own point of view?

OREGON WASHINGTON 54% Age 18-29 44% Age 18-29 44% Rural Voters 59% Rural Voters 45% Independents 46% Republicans 58% Non-Whites 46% HS Ed or Less 50% Weekly Church 44% Weekly Church

Top Groups with HESITATIONS

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While voters in Oregon and Washington are well familiar with end-of-life care and hospice care…

.

65% 78% 77% 33% 21% 23%

National (Feb-11) Oregon Washington

Familiar / Not Familiar

End-of-Life Care: Familiarity

86% 94% 87% 13% 6% 13%

National (Feb-11) Oregon Washington

Familiar / Not Familiar

Hospice Care: Familiarity

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Palliative care is still an unfamiliar term to most.

24% 32% 26% 71% 61% 70%

National (Feb-11) Oregon Washington

Familiar / Not Familiar

Palliative Care: Familiarity

Non-Coll: 22% - 69% College+: 46% - 50% 18-44: 28% - 69% 45+: 36% - 55% Non-Coll: 12% - 83% College+: 40% - 56% 18-44: 17% - 80% 45+: 34% - 61% Non-Coll: 16% - 80% College+: 35% - 59% 18-44: 21% - 77% 45+: 25% - 67%

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Provided with a definition of palliative care:

Palliative care describes any kind of care or treatment for seriously ill patients which focuses on reducing the severity of symptoms rather than attempting to reverse progression of the illness or provide a cure. The goal of palliative care is to provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support to patients and also their families. Palliative care can be provided alongside of curative treatment and is commonly provided at home, at a hospital, or at a nursing home. An important part of palliative care is end-of-life care, which focuses specifically on advanced planning for patients approaching death. This includes discussing their preferred treatment options and reducing their pain and suffering.

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Great Deal / Some Not Too Much / Not At All

Voters say they have spent considerable time thinking about these issues and they believe that palliative care treatment should be available for all patients.

Total Important Total Not Important Total Important Total Not Important

Oregon Oregon Washington Washington

Regardless of whether or not you have been personally involved in planning for or making palliative care decisions, how much have you personally thought about these issues? How important do you believe it is that palliative care treatment options be available to all seriously ill patients who need them and want them? 74% 68%

26% 32%

Great Deal / Some Not Too Much / Not At All 96% 97%

4% 2%

Non-Coll: 66% - 33% College+: 83% - 17% 18-44: 69% - 31% 45+: 77% - 22% Non-Coll: 61% - 39% College+: 74% - 26% 18-44: 54% - 46% 45+: 78% - 22%

Voters are confident that palliative care would be available to them if they needed it.

How confident are you that quality palliative care would be available to you or a family member if you needed it?

76% 72%

19% 25%

Confident Not Confident Oregon Washington Confident Not Confident

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Those who have made or planned for palliative care have reached

• ut to friends, families and medical professionals for consultation.

57% 52% 17% 13% 7% 7% 6% 5%

Family Members Family Doctor / Physician Hospice Group Hospital / Care Facility Church Members / Pastor Attorney Nurse Friend

56% 44% 15% 11% 6% 8% 6% 5%

Family Members Family Doctor / Physician Hospice Group Hospital / Care Facility Church Members / Pastor Attorney Nurse Friend

Who specifically have you consulted with or talked to regarding these palliative care decisions?

Oregon Washington

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Fewer than half believe that doctors and other providers do a good enough job of talking about the full range of palliative care options.

Yes No

46% 46%

34% 35% 19% 18%

Don’t Know Yes No Don’t Know

Oregon Washington

In your opinion, do you believe that doctors and other health care providers do a good enough job of talking with seriously ill patients about the full range of options available to them including palliative care alongside all other treatments? Among Full Sample: Among Those Involved In Planning

• r Making Palliative Care Decisions:

Getting DATA From Venture

Yes No

52% 47%

36% 44% 11% 8%

Don’t Know Yes No Don’t Know

Oregon Washington

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Exc / Good Fair / Poor

Voters in OR & WA are pleased with options available for seriously ill patients in their state.

Exc / Good Fair / Poor

Oregon Oregon Washington Washington

Options to Extend Life as Long as Possible Options to Ease Pain and Suffering and Focus More on Quality of Life

66% 66%

22% 25%

66% 63%

23% 30%

Exc / Good Fair / Poor Exc / Good Fair / Poor I’d like to read you some different options available for seriously ill patients. For each one, please tell me if you believe the availability of that option in your state is…

Non-Coll: 60% - 29% College+: 74% - 15% Urban: 69% - 20% Suburb: 64% - 23% Rural: 64% - 27% Non-Coll: 64% - 28% College+: 68% - 23% Urban: 56% - 34% Suburb: 70% - 21% Rural: 72% - 20% Non-Coll: 62% - 29% College+: 71% - 15% Urban: 72% - 20% Suburb: 64% - 21% Rural: 61% - 31% Non-Coll: 59% - 34% College+: 66% - 26% Urban: 53% - 37% Suburb: 68% - 26% Rural: 63% - 29%

But many are unsure about the quality of available palliative care treatment options, especially those with no personal experience.

Exc / Good Fair / Poor

37% 32% 22% 31% 40% 37%

Don’t Know

Oregon Washington

How would you rate the quality of palliative care treatment options available to seriously ill patients in your state?

Exc / Good Fair / Poor Don’t Know Exc / Good Fair / Poor

46% 43% 22% 29% 32% 27%

Don’t Know

Oregon Washington

Exc / Good Fair / Poor Don’t Know

Among Full Sample:

No Involvement in Palliative Care Decisions

Exc / Good Fair / Poor

62% 59% 20% 28% 17% 12%

Don’t Know

Oregon Washington

Exc / Good Fair / Poor Don’t Know

Personal Involvement in Decisions

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Palliative care is seen by most as available only for those with the right resources.

23% 43% 5% 6%

Widely available to almost all patients who need it and want it Available, but

• nly for

patients with the right insurance or resources Available to

• nly a small

number of patients Mostly unavailable

Given the definition read to you earlier about what palliative care is, how available would you say that palliative care treatment

• ptions and services are in your state?

Oregon Washington

19% 47% 7% 8%

Widely available to almost all patients who need it and want it Available, but

• nly for

patients with the right insurance or resources Available to

• nly a small

number of patients Mostly unavailable

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Few believe that information about palliative care treatment options is easy to come by.

17% 48% 13% 9%

Readily available and easy to come by Available, but

• nly if you

know where to look and who to ask Somewhat available, but hard to come by Hard to find or unavailable

How would you describe the availability of information about palliative care treatment options? Oregon Washington

12% 52% 18% 12%

Readily available and easy to come by Available, but

• nly if you

know where to look and who to ask Somewhat available, but hard to come by Hard to find or unavailable

The palliative care “Delivery Chain” needs improvement.

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74% 15% Agree Disagree

Oregon

74% 16% Agree Disagree

Washington There is wide agreement that despite the available options for palliative care, there is still a long way to go to increase options. While there are many options for palliative care and end-of-life care in (Oregon / Washington), we still have a long way to go to increase

• ptions for seriously ill patients in the state.