Interventions to promote the use of advance directives: an overview of systematic reviews.
OBJECTIVE
To identify, appraise and synthesise the results of systematic reviews of the literature (SRLs) that examines the effectiveness of interventions to increase advance directive (AD) completion rate.


METHODS
Narrative review of the literature-an overview of SRLs focused on interventions to improve patients' AD completion rate.


RESULTS
Seven SRLs were located. A wide range of interventions was identified in order to determine their influence on the AD completion rate.


CONCLUSIONS
The most effective method of increasing the use of ADs is the combination of informative material and repeated conversations over clinical visits. The use of passive informative material in isolation does not significantly increase AD completion rates. However, when interactive informative interventions are employed, the AD completion rate increases and the majority of the studies identify multiple sessions as the most effective method for direct interaction between patients and health care professionals.


CONCLUSIONS
The progressive ageing of the population and the provision of quality care during the process of ageing and dying, have given rise to the Governments' interest in developing moral autonomy and regulating tools as ADs. In order to put legislation into practice it is necessary to set up successful interventions to expand ADs use.
Tamayo-Velázquez
Maria-Isabel
MI
Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain. mariai.tamayo.easp@juntadeandalucia.es
Simón-Lorda
Pablo
P
Villegas-Portero
Román
R
Higueras-Callejón
Camila
C
García-Gutiérrez
José-Francisco
JF
Martínez-Pecino
Flora
F
Barrio-Cantalejo
Inés-María
IM
D016223:Advance Directives; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D024382:Professional Role