Whether and how to store firearms in the home: Qualitative insights from care partner experiences in the Safety in Dementia Trial.

BACKGROUND: Most people with dementia (PWD) in the United States live in community settings supported by family and/or unpaid care partners. Firearms access is one of many decisions care partners navigate alongside PWD in efforts to prevent injuries and deaths. Conversations about firearms access are socially challenging, although specific challenges to be overcome have not been described. METHODS: As part of the larger Safety in Dementia Trial, we interviewed care partners about their views and experiences regarding firearms access in the home where the PWD resides. Interviewees were English-speaking adults (≥18 years) in the United States who are unpaid care partners of community-dwelling PWD. Responses to interview discussions related to (1) a desire for safety, and (2) fear of firearm violence was analyzed using a focusing process to categorize views into essential themes. RESULTS: Fifty care partners, who were primarily female (58%), White (66%), adult children (56%), and living in the same household (64%), participated in interviews between February 2023-February 2024. Dominant themes emerging from the focusing technique included (1) firearms as a necessary component of home safety; (2) fear of accidental/impulsive firearm violence; (3) observed risk and "near misses"; and (4) differing views on home firearms as a source of conflict. Thematic descriptions did not differ according to care partner's relationship to the PWD (adult child, spouse, other). CONCLUSIONS: Considering whether and how to alter access to firearms where PWD reside can be difficult for care partners to navigate. Care partners expressed a desire to limit firearms access, but worried both about creating conflict with the PWD and the self-defense implications of making firearms inaccessible. Findings were similar across subsets of care partners indicating that standardized tools and messaging to care partners may be effective in promoting safety in homes with PWD.

Older Veterans' perspectives on participation in a clinical exercise program: A qualitative study of the VA Gerofit exercise program.

Objectives: We explored the perspectives of older veterans in Gerofit, a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) supervised clinical exercise program, to understand the factors associated with participation and how the program supported personal health goals. Methods: Twenty semistructured interviews were conducted with active and inactive Gerofit participants. We used a hybrid inductive and deductive approach to thematic analysis of transcripts, with the latter informed by the Health Action Process Approach model of behavior change. Results: Active and inactive participants differed in their perspectives about how Gerofit impacted their progress toward meeting personal health goals. Active participants noted program features (e.g., schedule, staffing) as facilitators and suggested greater self-efficacy about program participation compared to inactive participants. Both groups perceived the camaraderie with other veterans as a facilitator. Conclusions: Exercise program features, including camaraderie, are important factors that affect the ability of older veterans to participate in exercise and achieve personal health goals.

Association of multimorbidity with guideline-directed medical therapy intensification in heart failure: Findings from the EPIC-HF trial.

A potential contributor to the suboptimal rates of guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) prescribing for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is the burden of multimorbidity in patients with HFrEF. We examined the effect of multimorbidity on GDMT prescription in the EPIC-HF trial, finding that multimorbidity was associated with decreased likelihood of GDMT intensification. Further study is needed to guide treatment in high-risk, multimorbid patients with HFrEF.

Identifying Decisional Needs for Adult Tracheostomy and Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation Decision Making to Inform Shared Decision-Making Interventions.

BACKGROUND: Decision making for adult tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation is emotionally complex. Expectations of surrogate decision makers and physicians rarely align. Little is known about what surrogates need to make goal-concordant decisions. Currently, little is known about the decisional needs of surrogates and providers, impeding efforts to improve the decision-making process. METHODS: Using a thematic analysis approach, we performed a qualitative study with semistructured interviews with surrogates of adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) being considered for tracheostomy and physicians routinely caring for patients receiving MV. Recruitment was stopped when thematic saturation was reached. We describe the decision-making process, identify core decisional needs, and map the process and needs for possible elements of a future shared decision-making tool. RESULTS: Forty-three participants (23 surrogates and 20 physicians) completed interviews. Hope, Lack of Knowledge Data, and Uncertainty emerged as the 3 main themes that described the decision-making process and were interconnected with one another and, at times, opposed each other. Core decisional needs included information about patient wishes, past activity/medical history, short- and long-term outcomes, and meaningful recovery. The themes were the lens through which the decisional needs were weighed. Decision making existed as a balance between surrogate emotions and understanding and physician recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheostomy and prolonged MV decision making is complex. Hope and Uncertainty were conceptual themes that often battled with one another. Lack of Knowledge & Data plagued both surrogates and physicians. Multiple tangible factors were identified that affected surrogate decision making and physician recommendations. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding this complex decision-making process has the potential to improve the information provided to surrogates and, potentially, increase the goal-concordant care and alignment of surrogate and physician expectations. HIGHLIGHTS: Decision making for tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation is a complex interactive process between surrogate decision makers and providers.Qualitative themes of Hope, Uncertainty, and Lack of Knowledge & Data shared by both providers and surrogates were identified and described the decision-making process.Concrete decisional needs of patient wishes, past activity/medical history, short- and long-term outcomes, and meaningful recovery affected each of the larger themes and represented key information from which surrogates and providers based decisions and recommendations.The qualitative themes and decisional needs identified provide a roadmap to design a shared decision-making intervention to improve adult tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation decision making.

"You just have to be careful how you do it": A qualitative study of the Healthwise decision aid for older drivers.

OBJECTIVE: Decisions about driving retirement are difficult for older adults, their families, and health care providers. A large randomized trial found that an existing online Healthwise decision aid decreased decision conflict and increased knowledge about driving decisions. This study sought to discover how, when, and where the tool might be most effective for older drivers, their family members, and their health care providers. METHODS: We used one-on-one, semistructured interviews (June-December 2023) to explore perspectives on the content of the Healthwise online driving decision aid and its potential use. Participants were health care providers or subject matter experts in older driver research or policy. Transcribed interviews were coded and analyzed with a team-based approach to identify emerging themes. RESULTS: Across interviews (16 health care providers; 15 experts), emerging themes related to considerations (barriers, benefits, and settings for use) that were (1) individual or interpersonal or (2) institutional or cultural, as well as feedback on (3) decision aid content and structure. Findings included concerns over agism and damaging provider-patient relationships, along with identified benefits of integrating tools into electronic health records and a need for consolidated, easy-to-access resources for both providers and patients. CONCLUSION: Attention to individual, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural factors may enhance the use and dissemination of an online decision aid about driving, as well as its effectiveness in decision making. Future work should include views of additional stakeholders and studies on implementation of decision aids into real-world settings.

"Things That You Thought Mattered, None of That Matters": A Qualitative Exploration of Family Caregiver Values following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Intentional exploration, or elicitation, of patient and family values-who/what matters most-is critical to the delivery of person-centered care, yet the values elicitation experiences of family caregivers have been understudied. Understanding caregiver experiences discussing, reflecting upon, and acting on their values is critical to optimizing health decisions after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the values elicitation experiences of family caregivers of individuals with an LVAD in the postimplantation period. METHODS: This was a qualitative descriptive study of LVAD caregivers recruited from an outpatient clinic in the southeast United States. After completing one-on-one semistructured interviews, participants' transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Interviewed caregivers (n = 21) were 27 to 76 years old, with 67% African American, 76% female, 76% urban-dwelling, and 62% a spouse/partner. LVAD implantation was an impactful experience prompting caregiver reevaluation of their values; these values became instrumental to navigating decisions and managing stressors from their caregiving role. Three broad themes of caregiver values elicitation experiences emerged: (1) caregivers leverage their values for strength and guidance in navigating their caregiving role, (2) LVAD implantation prompts (re)evaluation of relationships and priorities, and (3) caregivers convey their goals and priorities when deemed relevant to patient care. CONCLUSIONS: Having a care recipient undergo LVAD implantation prompted caregivers to reevaluate their values, which were used to navigate caregiving decisions and stressors. Findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals to engage and support caregivers after LVAD implantation.

"When I do have some time, rather than spend it polishing silver, I want to spend it with my grandkids": a qualitative exploration of patient values following left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Values are broadly understood to have implications for how individuals make decisions and cope with serious illness stressors, yet it remains uncertain how patients and their family and friend caregivers discuss, reflect upon, and act on their values in the post-left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation context. This study aimed to explore the values elicitation experiences of patients with an LVAD in the post-implantation period. METHODS: Qualitative descriptive study of LVAD recipients. Socio-demographics and patient resource use were analyzed using descriptive statistics and semi-structured interview data using thematic analysis. Adult (> 18 years) patients with an LVAD receiving care at an outpatient clinic in the Southeastern United States. RESULTS: Interviewed patients (n = 27) were 30-76 years, 59% male, 67% non-Hispanic Black, 70% married/living with a partner, and 70% urban-dwelling. Three broad themes of patient values elicitation experiences emerged: 1) LVAD implantation prompts deep reflection about life and what is important, 2) patient values are communicated in various circumstances to convey personal goals and priorities to caregivers and clinicians, and 3) patients leverage their values for strength and guidance in navigating life post-LVAD implantation. LVAD implantation was an impactful experience often leading to reevaluation of patients' values; these values became instrumental to making health decisions and coping with stressors during the post-LVAD implantation period. Patient values arose within broad, informal exchanges and focused, decision-making conversations with their caregiver and the healthcare team. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider assessing the values of patients post-implantation to facilitate shared understanding of their goals/priorities and identify potential changes in their coping.

Implementation Science to Achieve Equity in Heart Failure Care: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Guideline-directed medical therapies and guideline-directed nonpharmacological therapies improve quality of life and survival in patients with heart failure (HF), but eligible patients, particularly women and individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, are often not treated with these therapies. Implementation science uses evidence-based theories and frameworks to identify strategies that facilitate uptake of evidence to improve health. In this scientific statement, we provide an overview of implementation trials in HF, assess their use of conceptual frameworks and health equity principles, and provide pragmatic guidance for equity in HF. Overall, behavioral nudges, multidisciplinary care, and digital health strategies increased uptake of therapies in HF effectively but did not include equity goals. Few HF studies focused on achieving equity in HF by engaging stakeholders, quantifying barriers and facilitators to HF therapies, developing strategies for equity informed by theory or frameworks, evaluating implementation measures for equity, and titrating strategies for equity. Among these HF equity studies, feasibility was established in using various educational strategies to promote organizational change and equitable care. A couple include ongoing randomized controlled pragmatic trials for HF equity. There is great need for additional HF implementation trials designed to promote delivery of equitable guideline-directed therapy.

Linking Cardiac Psychology and Cardiovascular Medicine via Self-Determination Theory and Shared Decision-Making.

Despite considerable progress in recent years, research in cardiac psychology is not widely translated into routine practice by clinical cardiologists or clinical health psychologists. Self-determination theory (SDT), which addresses how basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness contribute to the internalization of motivation, may help bridge this research-practice gap through its application to shared decision-making (SDM). This narrative review discusses the following: (a) brief background information on SDT and SDM, (b) the application of SDT to health behavior change and cardiology interventions, and (c) how SDT and SDM may be merged using a dissemination and implementation (D&I) framework. We address barriers to implementing SDM in cardiology, how SDM and SDT address the need for respect of patient autonomy, and how SDT can enhance D&I of SDM interventions through its focus on autonomy, competence, and relatedness and its consideration of other constructs that facilitate the internalization of motivation.

Examining the Impact of Layperson Rescuer Gender on the Receipt of Bystander CPR for Women in Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Women who suffer a witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) less often than men. To understand this phenomenon, we queried whether there are differences in deterrents to providing CPR based on the rescuer's gender. METHODS: Participants were surveyed using a national crowdsourcing platform. Participants ranked the following 5 previously identified themes as reasons: rescuers are afraid to injure or hurt women; rescuers might have a misconception that women do not suffer cardiac arrest; rescuers are afraid to be accused of sexual assault or sexual harassment; rescuers have a fear of touching women or that their touch might be inappropriate; and rescuers think that women are faking it or being overdramatic. Participants were adult US residents able to correctly define CPR. Participants ranked the themes if the rescuer was gender unidentified, a man, and a woman, in variable order. RESULTS: In November 2018, 520 surveys were completed. The respondents identified as 42.3% women, 74.2% White, 10.4% Black, and 6.7% Hispanic. Approximately half (48.1%) of the cohort knew how to perform CPR, but only 7.9% had ever performed CPR. When the rescuer was identified as a man, survey participants ranked fear of sexual assault or sexual harassment and fear of touching women or that the touch might be inappropriate as the top reasons (36.2% and 34.0% of responses, respectively). Conversely, when the rescuer was identified as a woman, survey respondents reported fear of hurting or injuring as the top reason (41.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Public perceptions as to why women receive less bystander CPR than men were different based on the gender of the rescuer. Participants reported that men rescuers would potentially be hindered by fears of accusations of sexual assault/harassment or inappropriate touch, while women rescuers would be deterred due to fears of causing physical injury.

Drivers of Decision-Making for Adult Tracheostomy for Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Decision-making about tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) is emotionally complex. Expectations of surrogate decision-makers and physicians rarely align. Little is known about what surrogates need to make goal-concordant decisions. We sought to identify drivers of tracheostomy and PMV decision-making. Methods: Using Grounded Theory, we performed a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with surrogates of patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) being considered for tracheostomy and physicians routinely caring for patients receiving MV. Recruitment was stopped when thematic saturation was reached. Separate codebooks were created for surrogate and physician interviews. Themes and factors affecting decision-making were identified and a theoretical model tracheostomy decision-making was developed. Results: 43 participants (23 surrogates and 20 physicians) completed interviews. A theoretical model of themes and factors driving decision-making emerged for the data. Hope, Lack of Knowledge & Data, and Uncertainty emerged as the three main themes all which were interconnected with one another and, at times, opposed each other. Patient Wishes, Past Activity/Medical History, Short and Long-Term Outcomes, and Meaningful Recovery were key factors upon which surrogates and physicians based decision-making. The themes were the lens through which the factors were viewed and decision-making existed as a balance between surrogate emotions and understanding and physician recommendations. Conclusions: Tracheostomy and prolonged MV decision-making is complex. Hope and Uncertainty were conceptual themes that often battled with one another. Lack of Knowledge & Data plagued both surrogates and physicians. Multiple tangible factors were identified that affected surrogate decision-making and physician recommendations. Implications: Understanding this complex decision-making process has the potential to improve the information provided to surrogates and, potentially, increase the goal concordant care and alignment of surrogate and physician expectations. Highlights: Decision-making for tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation is a complex interactive process between surrogate decision-makers and providers.Using a Grounded Theory framework, a theoretical model emerged from the data with core themes of Hope, Uncertainty, and Lack of Knowledge & Data that was shared by both providers and surrogates.The core themes were the lenses through which the key decision-making factors of Patient Wishes, Past Activity/Medical History, Short and Long-Term Outcomes, and Meaningful Recovery were viewed.The theoretical model provides a roadmap to design a shared decision-making intervention to improve tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation decision-making.

Barriers and facilitators to measuring patient reported outcomes in an academic breast cancer clinic: An application of the RE-AIM framework.

BACKGROUND: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are important for patient-centered, value-based care; however, implementation into surgical practice remains limited. We aimed to demonstrate feasibility of measuring PROMs in an academic breast cancer clinic. METHODS: We conducted a pilot study implementing the patient-reported outcome measure BREAST-Q among patients with Stage 0-III breast cancer at a single institution from 06/2019-03/2023 using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Barriers and facilitators were characterized. Survey completion was assessed pre-operatively and up to 12 months post-operatively. RESULTS: Barriers included limited time and lack of incorporation into the electronic medical record. Facilitators included utilizing trained team members and an automated workflow. Among eligible patients, 74% completed BREAST-Q at 2-weeks post-operatively and 55% at 12 months post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: We describe the implementation of a PROM using the RE-AIM framework, highlighting facilitators and barriers that may assist others in collecting patient-reported outcome data.

Evaluation of a Novel Hospice-Specific Patient Decision Aid.

Background: We tested a novel hospice-specific patient decision aid to determine whether the decision aid could improve hospice knowledge, opinions of hospice, and decision self-efficacy in making decisions about hospice. Methods: Two patient-level randomized studies were conducted using two different cohorts. Recruitment was completed from March 2019 through May 2020. Cohort #1 was recruited from an academic hospital and a safety-net hospital and Cohort #2 was recruited from community members. Participants were randomized to review a hospice-specific patient decision aid. The primary outcomes were change in hospice knowledge, hospice beliefs and attitudes, and decision self-efficacy Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to evaluate differences on the primary outcomes between baseline and 1-month. Participants: Participants were at least 65 years of age. A total of 266 participants enrolled (131 in Cohort #1 and 135 in Cohort #2). Participants were randomized to the intervention group (n = 156) or control group (n = 109). The sample was 74% (n = 197) female, 58% (n = 156) African American and mean age was 74.9. Results: Improvements in hospice knowledge between baseline and 1-month were observed in both the intervention and the control groups with no differences between groups (.43 vs .275 points, P = .823). There were no observed differences between groups on Hospice Beliefs and Attitudes scale (3.29 vs 3.08, P = .076). In contrast, Decision Self-Efficacy improved in both groups and the effect of the intervention was significant (8.04 vs 2.90, P = -.027). Conclusions: The intervention demonstrated significant improvements in decision self-efficacy but not in hospice knowledge or hospice beliefs and attitudes.

Integrating Cost into Shared Decision-Making for Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (POCKET-COST-HF): A Trial Providing Out-of-Pocket Costs for Heart Failure Medications during Clinical Encounters.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based medical therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) often entails substantial out-of-pocket costs that can vary appreciably between patients. This has raised concerns regarding financial toxicity, equity, and adherence to medical therapy. In spite of these concerns, cost discussions in the HFrEF population appear to be rare, partly because out-of-pocket costs are generally unavailable during clinical encounters. In this trial, out-of-pocket cost information is given to patients and clinicians during outpatient encounters with the aim to assess the impact of providing this information on medication discussions and decisions. HYPOTHESIS: Cost-informed decision-making will be facilitated by providing access to patient-specific out-of-pocket cost estimates at the time of clinical encounter. DESIGN: Integrating Cost into Shared Decision-Making for Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (POCKET-COST-HF) is a multicenter trial based at Emory Healthcare and University of Colorado Health. Adapting an existing patient activation tool from the EPIC-HF trial, patients and clinicians are presented a checklist with medications approved for treatment of HFrEF with or without patient-specific out-of-pocket costs (obtained from a financial navigation firm). Clinical encounters are audio-recorded, and patients are surveyed about their experience. The trial utilizes a stepped-wedge cluster randomized design, allowing for each site to enroll control and intervention group patients while minimizing contamination of the control arm. DISCUSSION: This trial will elucidate the potential impact of robust cost disclosure efforts and key information regarding patient and clinician perspectives related to cost and cost communication. It also will reveal important challenges associated with providing out-of-pocket costs for medications during clinical encounters. Acquiring medication costs for this trial requires an involved process and outsourcing of work. In addition, costs may change throughout the year, raising questions regarding what specific information is most valuable. These data will represent an important step towards understanding the role of integrating cost discussions into heart failure care. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT04793880.

ENABLE-LVAD: Development and Implementation of a Novel Training Program for Clinicians Supporting Family Caregivers of Patients With a Left Ventricular Assist Device.

BACKGROUND: Despite significant family caregiver (FCG) burnout, there are currently no tested interventions to support the FCG role after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or formalized training for clinicians to support FCGs. OBJECTIVE: We adapted the existing ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise Before Life Ends) intervention to LVAD clinicians and FCGs and assessed clinical implementation and dissemination. METHODS: ENABLE-LVAD is an interactive, self-paced clinician training coupled with FCG-facing guidebooks and resources. Implementation and dissemination were evaluated by the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework. RESULTS: As of May 2023, 187 clinicians registered for the training, and 41 completed all modules (22.0% completion rate). Of those who completed the training and responded to a 6-month survey, one-third (n = 10, 33.3%) used ENABLE-LVAD with FCGs, and 100% of those planned to continue using it. The primary barrier to completing the training was time. CONCLUSIONS: The ENABLE-LVAD clinician training was successfully disseminated and implemented as a useful resource to support LVAD FCGs.

Sustained Effect of Clinical Decision Support for Heart Failure: A Natural Experiment Using Implementation Science.

OBJECTIVES: In a randomized controlled trial, we found that applying implementation science (IS) methods and best practices in clinical decision support (CDS) design to create a locally customized, "enhanced" CDS significantly improved evidence-based prescribing of ß blockers (BB) for heart failure compared with an unmodified commercially available CDS. At trial conclusion, the enhanced CDS was expanded to all sites. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the real-world sustained effect of the enhanced CDS compared with the commercial CDS. METHODS: In this natural experiment of 28 primary care clinics, we compared clinics exposed to the commercial CDS (preperiod) to clinics exposed to the enhanced CDS (both periods). The primary effectiveness outcome was the proportion of alerts resulting in a BB prescription. Secondary outcomes included patient reach and clinician adoption (dismissals). RESULTS: There were 367 alerts for 183 unique patients and 171 unique clinicians (pre: March 2019-August 2019; post: October 2019-March 2020). The enhanced CDS increased prescribing by 26.1% compared with the commercial (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.0-35.1%), which is consistent with the 24% increase in the previous study. The odds of adopting the enhanced CDS was 81% compared with 29% with the commercial (odds ratio: 4.17, 95% CI: 1.96-8.85). The enhanced CDS adoption and effectiveness rates were 62 and 14% in the preperiod and 92 and 10% in the postperiod. CONCLUSION: Applying IS methods with CDS best practices was associated with improved and sustained clinician adoption and effectiveness compared with a commercially available CDS tool.

Gender-based differences in decision making, quality of life and survival among patients undergoing left ventricular assist device evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Women are less likely to receive left ventricular assist devices and are more likely to experience poor outcomes. However, how gender impacts LVAD decision-making regarding LVAD implantation and the effects of that decision remains unknown. METHODS: We performed a sub-group analysis from the stepped-wedge DECIDE-LVAD trial, which tested a decision-support intervention for patients considering LVAD therapy. RESULTS: Excluding 9 patients who withdrew from assessments, of the 239 patients analyzed, 203 (85%) were men and 36 (15%) were women. More men received LVADs (70%) than women (61%) and more men were alive at 6 months compared to women, both among those who received LVADs (87% vs 82%) and those who did not (74% vs 50%) (p = 0.002). Compared to men, women were more likely to have decision regret, depressive symptoms and perceived stress at baseline but not at follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, men experience improvements in decisional conflict, acceptance of illness, struggle with illness, and perceived stress-none of those improvements were noted amongst women. Compared to men who received LVADs, women receiving LVADs had worse decision regret and depressive symptoms at baseline and worse acceptance of illness and perceived stress at six months. Men who received LVADs experienced improvement in decisional conflict and perceived stress, while women did not experience these improvements. Both men and women who received LVADs experienced improvement in depressive symptoms. Quality of life as assessed by EuroQol visual analog scale improved for both men and women who received LVADs but not for those who did not receive LVADs; no gender differences in quality of life were noted. CONCLUSION: Women require greater decisional support at time of decision to undergo LVAD implantation and subsequently might benefit from more intensive psychosocial support.