Views and Experiences of Aging & End-of-Life Care in the US
New report from NPHI provides an update on 2017 Kaiser Family Foundation study of American attitudes about healthcare
- Study commissioned by the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation
- Conducted as a collaborative effort by NPHI, SIR, and Emergence Creative, with generous funding from StateServ, a NPHI Preferred Vendor
- Study objective: Obtaining updated insights post-COVID on the 2017 Kaiser Family Foundation study that explored the different facets of how individuals view and experience healthcare in the context of serious illness and the end of life
Initial Results:
The initial results show the emergence of three key themes:
- Uncertainty
- Openness
- Trust
Across demographic groups, the data indicated a general lack of clarity around personal plans, care options, and the system’s ability to provide care to the aging population. In addition, most Americans avoid planning, discussing, and even thinking about their personal wishes related to healthcare later in life, yet they agree that such conversations are important. A key factor inhibiting more proactive discussions is lack of trust—the study found that, overall, Americans have little trust in the US healthcare system to provide quality, respectful care at both the individual and systemic level. This report is the first phase of a more robust publication scheduled to launch in the Spring of 2023.