TY - JOUR
T1 - Interim Analysis of Attrition Rates in Palliative Care Study on Dignity Therapy
AU - Samuels, Virginia
AU - Schoppee, Tasha M.
AU - Greenlee, Amelia
AU - Gordon, Destiny
AU - Jean, Stacey
AU - Smith, Valandrea
AU - Reed, Tyra
AU - Kittelson, Sheri
AU - Quest, Tammie
AU - O’Mahony, Sean
AU - Hauser, Josh
AU - Guay, Marvin O.Delgado
AU - Rabow, Michael W.
AU - Emanuel, Linda
AU - Fitchett, George
AU - Handzo, George
AU - Chochinov, Harvey Max
AU - Yao, Yingwei
AU - Wilkie, Diana J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - A routine threat to palliative care research is participants not completing studies. The purpose of this analysis was to quantify attrition rates mid-way through a palliative care study on Dignity Therapy and describe the reasons cited for attrition. Enrolled in the study were a total of 365 outpatients with cancer who were receiving outpatient specialty palliative care (mean age 66.7 ± 7.3 years, 56% female, 72% White, 22% Black, 6% other race/ethnicity). These participants completed an initial screening for cognitive status, performance status, physical distress, and spiritual distress. There were 76 eligible participants who did not complete the study (58% female, mean age 67.9 ± 7.3 years, 76% White, 17% Black, and 7% other race). Of those not completing the study, the average scores were 74.5 ± 11.7 on the Palliative Performance Scale and 28.3 ± 1.5 on the Mini-Mental Status Examination, whereas 22% had high spiritual distress scores and 45% had high physical distress scores. The most common reason for attrition was death/decline of health (47%), followed by patient withdrawal from the study (21%), and patient lost to follow-up (21%). The overall attrition rate was 24% and within the a priori projected attrition rate of 20%-30%. Considering the current historical context, this interim analysis is important because it will serve as baseline data on attrition prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research will compare these results with attrition throughout the rest of the study, allowing analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the study attrition.
AB - A routine threat to palliative care research is participants not completing studies. The purpose of this analysis was to quantify attrition rates mid-way through a palliative care study on Dignity Therapy and describe the reasons cited for attrition. Enrolled in the study were a total of 365 outpatients with cancer who were receiving outpatient specialty palliative care (mean age 66.7 ± 7.3 years, 56% female, 72% White, 22% Black, 6% other race/ethnicity). These participants completed an initial screening for cognitive status, performance status, physical distress, and spiritual distress. There were 76 eligible participants who did not complete the study (58% female, mean age 67.9 ± 7.3 years, 76% White, 17% Black, and 7% other race). Of those not completing the study, the average scores were 74.5 ± 11.7 on the Palliative Performance Scale and 28.3 ± 1.5 on the Mini-Mental Status Examination, whereas 22% had high spiritual distress scores and 45% had high physical distress scores. The most common reason for attrition was death/decline of health (47%), followed by patient withdrawal from the study (21%), and patient lost to follow-up (21%). The overall attrition rate was 24% and within the a priori projected attrition rate of 20%-30%. Considering the current historical context, this interim analysis is important because it will serve as baseline data on attrition prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research will compare these results with attrition throughout the rest of the study, allowing analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the study attrition.
KW - attrition
KW - cancer
KW - dignity therapy
KW - palliative care
KW - spirituality
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U2 - 10.1177/1049909121994309
DO - 10.1177/1049909121994309
M3 - Article
C2 - 33557587
AN - SCOPUS:85100997912
SN - 1049-9091
VL - 38
SP - 1503
EP - 1508
JO - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
JF - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
IS - 12
ER -