Striving for quality or length at the end-of-life: attitudes of the Dutch general public.
Questionnaires were mailed to 1777 members of the Dutch public (response: 78%), measuring to what extent respondents appreciate life-prolonging treatment, even if it would seriously impair their quality of life. The association between these attitudes and personal characteristics and initiatives to engage in advance care planning was analyzed. About one third of the respondents prefers quality of life at the expense of survival, another third prefers length of life regardless of impaired quality, whereas the remaining third did not express a clear attitude towards quality or length of life. People who were younger, male, having children, having religious beliefs, and without a history of serious illness were more likely to strive for length, whereas the reverse associations were found for striving for quality. The latter was related to undertaking initiatives to engage in advance care planning. Awareness of differences in attitudes towards life-prolonging treatment within the public may improve communication about appropriate end-of-life care.
Rietjens
Judith A C
JA
Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, The Netherlands. jwofford@wfubmc.edu
van der Heide
Agnes
A
Voogt
Elsbeth
E
Onwuteaka-Philipsen
Bregje D
BD
van der Maas
Paul J
PJ
van der Wal
Gerrit
G
D000328:Adult; D032722:Advance Care Planning / Q000592:standards; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011639:Public Opinion; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors