End-of-Life Person-Centered Care: Addressing Ableism in Discussions

Overview

Revise to remove unsupported claims and ensure all statements are directly sourced.

Background

Edit to eliminate conclusions about ableism and patient autonomy that are not directly supported.

Data Highlights

No numerical data or trial data were provided in the source material.

Key Findings

• Person-centered care involves asking patients about their goals for longevity and what makes life meaningful.
• Discussions about 'states worse than death' can inadvertently reinforce ableist assumptions about disability.
• Clinicians must avoid framing disability as a pathology to respect patients' autonomy and values.
• Language used in goals-of-care discussions can shape patients' decision-making processes.
• Patients may feel pressured to conform to socially normative judgments about disability when discussing treatment options.

Clinical Implications

Remove recommendations and ensure statements are directly supported by the source.

Conclusion

Revise to eliminate unsupported claims and ensure all statements are directly sourced.

Related Resources & Content

1. Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN, The ASCO Post, 2011 -- A Conversation with Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN
2. The ASCO Post, 2013 -- SIDEBAR: Physician-assisted Suicide
3. The ASCO Post, 2012 -- Getting the Right End-of-life Care: Coming to Terms with the Realities of Advanced Disease and Mortality
4. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2026 -- Structural Ableism and Healthcare Transition for Adults with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities
5. Palliative Care for Patients With Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update, 2024
6. Early Palliative Care for Patients with Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer, NEJM, 2010
7. Applying a Health Equity Lens to Better Understand End-of-Life Prognostication, Journal of Ethics, AMA, 2024
8. Palliative Care for Patients With Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update
9. Early Palliative Care for Patients with Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer | New England Journal of Medicine
10. Applying a Health Equity Lens to Better Understand End-of-Life Prognostication | Journal of Ethics | American Medical Association