title: Decisions in complex clinical situations: Prevalence and factors associated in general public.
abstract: Many studies have focused on advanced directives. However, the type of treatment that citizens would choose in critical health situations and whether their decision varies with their sociodemographic characteristics and their experiences of life both within and outside the family context, are unknown. This study analyzes the factors associated with choosing or refusing life support treatment in hypothetical situations of differing clinical complexity. This transversal descriptive study was carried out by questionnaires given to 1051 participants from primary care centres. The Life Support Preferences Questionnaire (LSPQ) used to assess preferences of life-sustaining treatment, describes six scenarios with different prognoses. Analysis of the sociodemographic characteristics and life experiences of the subjects led to the following findings. In situations of very severe prognosis, treatment is mostly rejected. When there is chance of recovery, treatment is mostly accepted, especially in the least aggressive cases and when deciding for another person. A greater propensity to reject treatment was observed among subjects over 55 years, those in poor health and those who had observed a terminal illness in a family member. Practising Catholics are more likely to accept treatment in all medical situations described. Preferences for life support treatment are linked to sociodemographic characteristics and life experiences of patients. Physicians should bear in mind these characteristics when confronted with critical clinical situations, involving difficult decisions.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Department, Murcia Health Service, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gomez-Martinez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Research into Aging, Department of Legal Medicine, Biomedical Research, Institute (IMIB-Arrixaca), Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare, Nostrum", School of Medicine, University of Murcia, E-30100, Spain.
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Institute of Research into Aging, Department of Legal Medicine, Biomedical Research, Institute (IMIB-Arrixaca), Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare, Nostrum", School of Medicine, University of Murcia, E-30100, Spain. Electronic address: mdperez@um.es.
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Perez-Carceles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016223:Advance Directives; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D057240:Patient Preference; D010820:Physicians; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Factors associated; Life sustaining treatment; Preferences patient