University of Pennsylvania
Institute on Aging
3615 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel: 215-573-3755
Fax: 215-573-8684
hirschk@nursing.upenn.edu

Research Interests: dementia, caregiving, medical decision making, end-of-life care, advance life planning

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Karen Hirschman recently completed a two-year NRSA Post-Doctoral Training Program in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases (NIH/NIA T32 AG 00255) in the School of Medicine, at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on medical decision making, planning for the future and end-of-life care with a special emphasis on dementia patients and their caregivers. With a background in social work and social welfare and training with a multidisciplinary team of health care experts through her fellowship, Dr. Hirschman brings this uniquely blended experience as an interdisciplinary researcher to the School of Nursing.

Dr. Hirschman is an active member of the Society for Social Work Research (SSWR) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). She participates as a Fellow in the Institute on Aging and is a member of the Transitional Care Special Interest Group and the RAND/Hartford Center for Interdisciplinary Geriatrics Health Care Research at the School of Nursing. She served on the Hartford Geriatric Enrichment Task Force of the School of Social Work at PENN from 2002 – 2004. Over the past 6 years Dr. Hirschman has taught courses on research methodology in PENN’s School of Social Work and has been an active member of that school’s Research Sequence Advisory Committee.

Selected Publications

Hirschman KB , Shea JA, Xie SX, & Karlawish JHT. The development of a rapid screen for caregiver burden. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2004; 52(10): 1724-1729.

Hirschman KB , Xie SX, Feudtner C, & Karlawish JHT. How does an Alzheimer’s Disease patients' role in medical decision-making change over time? Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology. 2004; 17(2): 55-60.

Bourjolly JN, Hirschman KB, & Zeiber NA. The impact of managed health care on women with breast cancer and the providers who treat them. Cancer Nursing. 2004: 27(1); 45-54.

Bourjolly JN, Barg FK, & Hirschman KB. Black and white women’s appraisal of their breast cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology. 2003; 21(3): 4 3-61.

Casarett DJ, Hirschman KB, Crowley R, Galbraith L, & Leo M. Caregivers Satisfaction with Hospice care in the last 24 hours of life. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care. 2003; 20(3): 205-210.

Casarett DJ, Crowley R, & Hirschman KB. Surveys to assess satisfaction with end-of-life care: Does timing matter? Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2003; 25: 128-132.

Casarett DJ, Hirschman KB, Coffey JF, & Pierre L. Does a palliative care clinic have a role in improving end-of-life care? Results from a pilot program. Journal of Palliative Care. 2002;5:387-396.

Casarett D, Hirschman K, Miller E, Farrar J. Is satisfaction with pain management a valid and reliable quality indicator for use in nursing homes? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2002; 50:2029-34.

Casarett DJ, Karlawish JHT, & Hirschman KB. Are hospices ready to participate in palliative care research? Results of a national survey. Journal of Palliative Care. 2002;5:397-406.

Casarett DJ, Takesaka J, Karlawish JHT, Hirschman KB, & Clark CM. How should clinicians discuss hospice for patients with dementia? Anticipating caregivers’ preconceptions and meeting their information needs. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. 2002;16:116-122.

Casarett DJ, Karlawish JHT, Henry MR & Hirschman KB. Must patients with advanced cancer choose between a Phase I trial and hospice? Cancer. 2002; 95:1601-1604.

Casarett DJ, Hirschman KB, & Henry MR. Does hospice have a role in nursing home care at the end of life? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2001;49(11): 1493-1498.