tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Crit Care Resusc. 2017 Sep;19(3):254-265.
[h=1]A cross-sectional survey of Australian and New Zealand public opinion on methods totriage intensive care patients in an influenza pandemic.[/h] Cheung W[SUP]1[/SUP], Myburgh J[SUP]2[/SUP], McGuinness S[SUP]3[/SUP], Chalmers D[SUP]4[/SUP], Parke R[SUP]3[/SUP], Blyth F[SUP]5[/SUP], Seppelt I[SUP]6[/SUP], Parr M[SUP]7[/SUP], Hooker C[SUP]8[/SUP], Blackwell N[SUP]9[/SUP], DeMonte S[SUP]10[/SUP], Gandhi K[SUP]11[/SUP], Kol M[SUP]12[/SUP], Kerridge I[SUP]8[/SUP], Nair P[SUP]13[/SUP], Saunders NM[SUP]14[/SUP], Saxena MK[SUP]15[/SUP], Thanakrishnan G[SUP]12[/SUP], Naganathan V[SUP]5[/SUP]; Influenza Pandemic ICU Triage 3 study investigators; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group.
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:[/h] An influenza pandemic has the potential to overwhelm intensive care resources, but the views of the general public on how resources should be allocated in such a scenario were unknown. We aimed to determine Australian and New Zealand public opinion on how intensive care unit beds should be allocated during an influenza pandemic.
[h=4]DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:[/h] A postal questionnaire was sent to 4000 randomly selected registered voters; 2000 people each from the Australian Electoral Commission and New Zealand Electoral Commission rolls.
[h=4]MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:[/h] The respondents' preferred method to triage ICU patients in an influenza pandemic. Respondents chose from six methods: use a "first in, first served" approach; allow a senior doctor to decide; use pre-determined health department criteria; use random selection; use the patient's ability to pay; use the importance of the patient to decide. Respondents also rated each of the triage methods for fairness.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Australian respondents preferred that patients be triaged to the ICU either by a senior doctor (43.2%) or by pre-determined health department criteria (38.7%). New Zealand respondents preferred that triage be performed by a senior doctor (45.9%). Respondents from both countries perceived triage by a senior doctor and by pre-determined health department criteria to be fair, and the other four methods of triage to be unfair.
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] In an influenza pandemic, when ICU resources would be overwhelmed, survey respondents preferred that ICU triage be performed by a senior doctor, but also perceived the use of pre-determined triage criteria to be fair.
PMID: 28866976
[h=1]A cross-sectional survey of Australian and New Zealand public opinion on methods totriage intensive care patients in an influenza pandemic.[/h] Cheung W[SUP]1[/SUP], Myburgh J[SUP]2[/SUP], McGuinness S[SUP]3[/SUP], Chalmers D[SUP]4[/SUP], Parke R[SUP]3[/SUP], Blyth F[SUP]5[/SUP], Seppelt I[SUP]6[/SUP], Parr M[SUP]7[/SUP], Hooker C[SUP]8[/SUP], Blackwell N[SUP]9[/SUP], DeMonte S[SUP]10[/SUP], Gandhi K[SUP]11[/SUP], Kol M[SUP]12[/SUP], Kerridge I[SUP]8[/SUP], Nair P[SUP]13[/SUP], Saunders NM[SUP]14[/SUP], Saxena MK[SUP]15[/SUP], Thanakrishnan G[SUP]12[/SUP], Naganathan V[SUP]5[/SUP]; Influenza Pandemic ICU Triage 3 study investigators; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group.
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:[/h] An influenza pandemic has the potential to overwhelm intensive care resources, but the views of the general public on how resources should be allocated in such a scenario were unknown. We aimed to determine Australian and New Zealand public opinion on how intensive care unit beds should be allocated during an influenza pandemic.
[h=4]DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:[/h] A postal questionnaire was sent to 4000 randomly selected registered voters; 2000 people each from the Australian Electoral Commission and New Zealand Electoral Commission rolls.
[h=4]MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:[/h] The respondents' preferred method to triage ICU patients in an influenza pandemic. Respondents chose from six methods: use a "first in, first served" approach; allow a senior doctor to decide; use pre-determined health department criteria; use random selection; use the patient's ability to pay; use the importance of the patient to decide. Respondents also rated each of the triage methods for fairness.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Australian respondents preferred that patients be triaged to the ICU either by a senior doctor (43.2%) or by pre-determined health department criteria (38.7%). New Zealand respondents preferred that triage be performed by a senior doctor (45.9%). Respondents from both countries perceived triage by a senior doctor and by pre-determined health department criteria to be fair, and the other four methods of triage to be unfair.
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] In an influenza pandemic, when ICU resources would be overwhelmed, survey respondents preferred that ICU triage be performed by a senior doctor, but also perceived the use of pre-determined triage criteria to be fair.
PMID: 28866976