"Hope is strong": a qualitative inquiry into serious illness conversations for patients living with structural vulnerabilities and substance use disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A serious illness conversation elicits a patient's wishes, goals and values in the setting of advancing illness. Patients living with structural vulnerabilities and substance use disorders encounter barriers to these conversations and therefore often experience less than ideal deaths. This study aims to understand the needs and preferences of these patients during serious illness conversations in the acute hospital setting and to inform best practice recommendations for serious illness conversations with this patient population.

Methods

We performed a qualitative research study using interpretive description methodology at a single tertiary care inner-city hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Data was collected from 16 hospitalized participants living

SUBMITTER: Schon E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12625005 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature