ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Vagueness in Goals-of-Care Conferences for Critically Ill Patients: Types of Hedge Language Used by Physicians*
Authors' conclusion
Hedge language is ubiquitous in physician-surrogate communication during goals-of-care conferences in the ICU and can be used to introduce vagueness to statements in ways beyond expressing uncertainty.
Study context
- Population
- Physicians and surrogates of incapacitated, critically ill adults in goals-of-care conferences, 13 ICUs at 6 academic and community centres, US40 transcripts
- Primary endpoint
- Types of hedge language used by physicians
Methodological detailssecondary analysis of audio-recorded goals-of-care conference transcripts, multicentre, deductive followed by inductive methods
- Secondary analysis of audio-recorded goals-of-care conference transcripts
- Multicentre
- Deductive followed by inductive methods
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Types of hedge language
Types of hedge language identified (numeric probabilistic, qualitative probabilistic, nonprobabilistic uncertainty, plausibility shield, emotion-based, attribution shield, adaptor, metaphor, time reference, contingency); distinct subtypes for most
10
Hedges per transcript (median); used frequently in every transcript to address diagnosis, prognosis and treatment
74
Original publication
Vagueness in Goals-of-Care Conferences for Critically Ill Patients: Types of Hedge Language Used by Physicians*. Crit Care Med. Published 26 June 2023. doi:10.
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