title: The attitudes of Korean cancer patients, family caregivers, oncologists, and members of the general public toward advance directives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate Korean attitudes toward advance directives (ADs) among cancer patients, family caregivers, oncologists, and the general public.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter survey study explored the attitudes of participants to ADs, and hospice-palliative care (HPC) was conducted. A total of 1,242 cancer patients, 1,289 family caregivers, 303 oncologists, and 1,006 members of the general public participated in the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients, family caregivers, oncologists, and general public agreed with the necessity of ADs. However, oncologists regard "when became terminal status" as an optimal timing for completion of ADs (52.2 %), while other groups regard earlier periods as it. More than 95 % oncologist answered that cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilator are necessity items for ADs form, while around 70 % of other groups answered so. Multivariate analysis revealed that several factors including agreement with terminal disclosures and a positive attitude toward HPC were independently associated with necessity of ADs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that attitudes toward ADs among cancer patients, family caregivers, oncologists, and the general public were significantly different. Our study also suggests that favorable attitudes toward comfort end-of-life care and HPC are keys that influence the perceived need for ADs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bhumsuk
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keam
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Dae Seog
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Byeong Woo
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chi-Heum
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soon Nam
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Si-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Lim
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Geol
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeun Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sam Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Mison
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016223:Advance Directives / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult