Engaging Public Health in End-of-Life Issues: It Is Time to Step Up to the Plate

Ideas and Opinions3 February 2015Engaging Public Health in End-of-Life Issues: It Is Time to Step Up to the PlateJaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy EditorJaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy EditorFrom the American College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M14-2479 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In September 2014, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its fifth full report on end-of-life issues, "Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual Preferences Near the End of Life" (1). Acknowledging the substantial progress made since its first report on these issues was published in 1997 (2), this report identifies recommendations within 5 domains. It is particularly encouraging to see the following recommendation for public education and engagement in the report: "Civic leaders, public health and other governmental agencies ... should engage their constituents and provide fact based information about care of people with advanced serious illness to encourage ...References1. Committee on Approaching Death; Institute of Medicine. Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual Preferences Near the End of Life. Washington, DC: National Academies Pr; 2014. Google Scholar2. Committee on Care at the End of Life; Institute of Medicine. Approaching Death: Improving Care at the End of Life. Washington, DC: National Academies Pr; 1997. Google Scholar3. Rao JK, Anderson LA, Smith SM. End of life is a public health issue. Am J Prev Med. 2002;23:215-20. [PMID: 12350455] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Rao JK, Alongi J, Anderson LA, Jenkins L, Stokes GA, Kane M. Development of public health priorities for end-of-life initiatives. Am J Prev Med. 2005;29:453-60. [PMID: 16376710] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Rao JK, Abraham LA, Anderson LA. Novel approach, using end-of-life issues, for identifying items for public health surveillance. Prev Chronic Dis. 2009;6:A57. [PMID: 19289000] MedlineGoogle Scholar6. Rao JK, Anderson LA, Lin FC, Laux JP. Completion of advance directives among U.S. consumers. Am J Prev Med. 2014;46:65-70. [PMID: 24355673] doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2013.09.008 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Seaman JB, Bear TM, Documet PI, Sereika SM, Albert SM. Hospice and family involvement with end-of-life care: results from a population-based survey. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2014. [PMID: 25216736] MedlineGoogle Scholar8. Morhaim DK, Pollack KM. End-of-life care issues: a personal, economic, public policy, and public health crisis. Am J Public Health. 2013;103:e8-e10. [PMID: 23597338] doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301316 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. D'Onofrio C, Ryndes T. The relevance of public health in improving access to end of life care. Hastings Cent Rep. 2003;Suppl:S30-2. [PMID: 12762190] MedlineGoogle Scholar10. American Public Health Association. Supporting public health's role in addressing unmet needs in serious illness and at the end of life. American Public Health Association policy no. 20134. 5 November 2013. Accessed at http://apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/09/13/42/supporting-public-healths-role-in-addressing-unmet-needs-in-serious-illness-and-at-the-end-of-life on 20 October 2014. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy EditorAffiliations: From the American College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Disclaimer: Dr. Rao worked at the CDC from 2000 to 2008, and the CDC funded the work that she describes here. She is currently Deputy Editor, Annals of Internal Medicine. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the American College of Physicians.Acknowledgment: The author thanks Dr. Lynda Anderson from the CDC for her constructive comments on an earlier version of this commentary.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M14-2479.Corresponding Author: Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, American College of Physicians, 190 N. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106; e-mail, [email protected]org.