Determinants of Access to Pediatric Hospice Care A Conceptual Model

One of the many difficult moments for families of children with life-limiting illnesses is to make the decision to access pediatric hospice care. Although determinants that influence families' decisions to access pediatric hospice care have been identified, the relationship between these determinants and access to pediatric hospice care has not been explicated or grounded in accepted health care theories or models. Using the Andersen Behavioral Healthcare Utilization Model, this article presents a conceptual model describing the determinants of hospice access. Predisposing (demographic; social support; and knowledge, beliefs, and values), enabling (family and community resources), and need (perceived and evaluated needs) factors were identified through the use of hospice literature. The relationships among these factors are described, and implications of the model for future study and practice are discussed.