An Operational Definition of End-of-Life Healthcare: A Complex and Subjective Construct.

Comprehensively defining end-of-life healthcare is a challenge due to the diverse areas of healthcare involved, the various stakeholders, and the range of patient options. This qualitative study examined many areas of end-of-life healthcare including quality, areas for improvement, and healthcare policy in Tennessee, in which the definition of end-of-life healthcare was a focus. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 19 participants who included end-of-life healthcare experts and Tennessee legislators. Through this research an operational definition of end-of-life healthcare, encompassing five concepts, was developed. Concepts include: a diagnosis, a timeframe, type of care, location of care, and planning for the future. When considered together, they are the embodiment of what end-of-life healthcare encompasses. Not in a one-fits-all definition, but individually tailored. An understanding of what end-of-life healthcare denotes is essential to maintaining open communication, high quality standards of care, and the protection of patient autonomy.

Campus Service Use Among Students With Disabilities Who Have Experienced Sexual Violence: A Conceptual Model.

Students with disabilities are one student group with elevated risk of sexual violence. Although they would benefit from streamlined access to campus support, little is known about their patterns of campus service use. This qualitative analysis includes data from semi-structured interviews with 51 students with disabilities who experienced sexual violence focused on service use across campus. The resultant conceptual model shows that greater accessibility is associated with positive experiences, and lower accessibility is associated with negative experiences. Students with disabilities who experienced or expected negative reactions (e.g., judgment) were less likely to use services and were less satisfied. Advocacy and support in connecting students with disability or sexual violence services was associated with positive experiences and increased accessibility. These findings highlight key facilitators and barriers to campus service use for students with disabilities with sexual violence histories and suggest key intervention points for increasing accessibility, reducing stigma, and improving student experiences with campus providers, staff, and faculty.