Systematic Review Revisited, 2010–2020: The Effect on Surrogates of Making Treatment Decisions for Others

Objectives: This study mapped research evidence spanning the last 10 years to identify the effect of being a surrogate decision maker for an incapacitated adult. Methods: A scoping review strategy was employed to allow for a focus on the breadth of the effect of surrogate decision making and to iden...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Palliative Care 2023-01, Vol.38 (1), p.71-77
Main Authors: Rogers, Anita Hendrix, Lopez, Ruth Palan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Decision making
Emotions
Families & family life
Mental competency
Palliative care
Stress
Systematic review
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Summary:Objectives: This study mapped research evidence spanning the last 10 years to identify the effect of being a surrogate decision maker for an incapacitated adult. Methods: A scoping review strategy was employed to allow for a focus on the breadth of the effect of surrogate decision making and to identify gaps in the existing research literature. Results: Surrogate decision making created emotional distress and burden for the majority of the SDMs. We found the negative effects on SDMs were linked to variety of stressors: fear of not knowing what the patient would want or being unable to fulfill the patient's actual or perceived wishes, feeling unprepared to assume the role of a SDM, and watching a loved one's health deteriorate over time. Discussion: Additional research is needed to elucidate the emotional burden of culturally diverse SDMs to determine their differences when compared to various groups.
ISSN:0825-8597
2369-5293
DOI:10.1177/08258597221098124