Palliative Care, Terminal Illness
Conditions
Keywords
Surprise Question, Prognostication
Brief summary
This study investigates the use of the Surprise Question \[SQ\] (would you be surprised if this patient were to die in the next 12 months?) in routine practice. In particular, the study will investigate the consistency of the responses to the SQ and the relationship with the subsequent course of action decided upon.
Detailed description
Whilst the original use of the Surprise Question was to identify people who might be in the last year of life and benefit from palliative care, the prognostic capability of the Surprise Question has been shown to be variable. What is unclear, is the extent to which a doctor should be surprised before a patient is suitable for palliative care, how consistently doctors respond to this question, and how the subsequent treatment decision relates to the SQ response. The study will recruit 600 General Practitioners (GPs) from 6 participating countries (100 per country; UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands). Each participant will asked to complete a series of 20 hypothetical patient summaries in an online task.
Interventions
OTHEROnline study
20 hypothetical patient summaries
Sponsors
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Radboud University Medical Center
University of Bern
Imperial College London
Universiteit Antwerpen
University of Bologna
University College, London
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Registered General Practitioner in one of the six participating countries * Able to read and understand the language in which the questionnaire is presented to them
Exclusion criteria
* None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Probability estimate | Participants will have up to 8 months (until the study closes) to provide an estimate for each vignette (n=20) | The continuous estimate of probability of dying within the next 12 months for the SQ (0-100%). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Surprise Question | up to 8 months (until the study closes)Participants will have up to 8 months (until the study closes) to provide a response for each vignette (n=20) | Dichotomous response to the SQ (Yes/No) |
| The alternative Surprise Question | up to 8 months (until the study closes)Participants will have up to 8 months (until the study closes) to provide a response for each vignette (n=20) | Dichotomous response to the alternative SQ (Yes/No) |
| Treatment options | up to 8 months (until the study closes)Participants will have up to 8 months (until the study closes) to provide a response for each vignette (n=20) | The options for the course of action selected by the participants in each vignette |
Countries
Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed