title: Variables that predict interest in and the completion of living wills.
abstract: Observes that although chaplains and congregational pastors frequently advocate the completion of advance directives, including living wills, the research reports that only 5 to 15% of the general population have completed the instrument. Asks, Why have so few completed it? Reports on research which suggests that age is the only statistical predictor of whether a person possesses a completed living will when measured against social and personality variables, including levels of social support, fear of dying, religiousity, self-esteem, and trust in physicians. Concludes that it is likely that age is a proxy variable which represents changes in attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts which tend to occur as persons grow older.
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University Hospitals, Columbus 43210, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: VandeCreek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frankowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D006801:Humans; D016224:Living Wills / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States