Impact of a community health conversation upon advance care planning attitudes and preparation intentions

Publication Date

2020

Journal Title

Gerontol Geriatr Educ

Abstract

© 2020, © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: Advance care planning conversations and preparations do not occur as frequently as they should. Framing advance care planning as a health behavior and an opportunity for community engagement can help improve community-dwellers’ intentions to have discussions and preparations regarding facing serious illness, death and dying. Methods: A multi-setting confidential pre/post paper survey assessing advance care planning discussions and preparation intentions was given to community-dwelling citizens residing in the New York metropolitan area. Survey items were adapted from a previous end of life survey to include questions on chronic illnesses, important conversations, comfort levels and concerns about end of life. The intervention was a 1-hour presentation on advance care planning (importance, laws, effective communication and audience questions) Results: Our study found significant interest in discussing advanced care planning across age groups. There were significant changes for participant intentions regarding: having conversations with loved ones, a health care proxy or similar document and none; as well as differences in participant intentions for discussions with caregiver, family, friends, primary physician and no-one. Conclusion: Educating individuals on the importance of advance care planning may be effective in changing community dwellers’ intentions to start the conversation and put advanced care planning measures in place. Abbreviations: ACP: Advance Care Planning; CHAT: Conversations Health and Treatments; EoL: End of Life; HCP: Health Care Proxy; MOLST: Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatments; PCP: Primary Care Physician.

Pages

1-14

Document Type

Article

Status

Faculty

Facility

School of Medicine

Primary Department

General Internal Medicine

Additional Departments

Geriatric and Palliative Medicine; Molecular Medicine; Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention; Science Education

PMID

32223366

DOI

10.1080/02701960.2020.1739670

Comments

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