title: [Social-health characteristics of subjects who make a living will].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Living Will (LW) is well publicised, and still largely unknown to the general public and health professionals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics of the subjects that formalize a LW related to socio-demographic situation, health status, degree of dependence, healthcare characteristics and psychosocial aspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive observational study conducted in the Health Area of Albacete including 123 people who formalized the LW in a Will Register in 2011. Study variables included: self-perceived health, functional status, morbidity, socio-demographic characteristics, use of health services, attitudes towards the LW, and psychosocial aspects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those that made an LW, were mainly women (64.2%), had a mean age of 53.3 years (SD: 14.5), higher levels of education (61% with at least secondary education), and a lifestyle other than living with a partner, and with children (67.5%). The majority were self-sufficient for their daily living activities (98.4% to 94.3% for basic and instrumental), and suffered from chronic disease (73.2%). Despite lasting relationships with their physicians (9.4 years; SD: 7.9), there was very little talk about the end of life (18.3%). More than a half had a family member who had previously signed a document (54.5%). More than two-thirds (68.5%) considered this document useful in the death of a relative, and also a 56.7% had also served as a caregiver of a terminal patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Middle-aged people, predominantly women, formalized an LW most often. They are usually chronic, but self-sufficient for their daily living activities, and are convinced that they can influence their health situation.
authors.affiliation: Servicios Periféricos de la Consejería de Sanidad y Asuntos Sociales, Albacete, España. Electronic address: kdelpozo@jccm.es.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: del Pozo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López-Torres
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: M José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Simarro
authors.affiliation: Fundación Sociosanitaria de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Joseba
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabanales
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016224:Living Wills / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain
keywords: Advance directives; Living will; Medical ethics; Testamento vital; Voluntades anticipadas; Ética médica