What influences individuals to engage in advance care planning?
BACKGROUND
Advance care planning (ACP) is an underutilized process that involves thinking about what kind of life-prolonging medical care one would want should the need arise, identifying a spokesperson, and then communicating these wishes.


OBJECTIVE
To better understand what influences individuals to engage in ACP.


METHODS
Three focus groups using semistructured interactive interviews were conducted with 23 older individuals from 3 diverse populations in central Pennsylvania.


RESULTS
Four categories of influences for engaging in ACP were identified: (1) concern for self; (2) concern for others; (3) expectations about the impact of ACP; and (4) anecdotes, stories, and experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
The motivations for undertaking ACP that we have identified offer health care providers insight into effective strategies for facilitating the process of ACP with their patients.
Levi
Benjamin H
BH
Department of Humanities, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, USA. bhlevi@psu.edu
Dellasega
Cheryl
C
Whitehead
Megan
M
Green
Michael J
MJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D032722:Advance Care Planning; D016223:Advance Directives / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires