ArticleDeutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)2023
[What do health care professionals know about advance directives?]
Article in Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- [General practitioner consultation on advance directives - results of a survey of general practitioners in Lower Saxony].Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2026Article
- Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Healthcare Providers Towards Advance Directive for COPD Patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Community health workers' knowledge and attitudes toward advance directives in China: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
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4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundAdvance directives are important to preserve the autonomy of patients for future situations in which they are uncapable of expressing their will. They are considered helpful by many healthcare professionals in their professional practice. However, their knowledge on these documents is not well known. Misconceptions can adversely affect decisions at the end of life. This study examines healthcare professionals' knowledge of advance directives and relevant correlates.
methodsIn 2021 healthcare professionals from various professions and institutions in Wuerzburg were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire on previous experiences with, advice on and use of advance directives, as well as an objective knowledge test containing 30 questions. Apart from the descriptive analysis of single questions out of the knowledge test, various parameters were screened for their influence on knowledge level.
results363 healthcare professionals from different care settings participated in the study, including physicians, social workers, nurses and emergency services personnel. 77.5% work in patient care, of which 39.8% make decisions based on living wills daily to several times a month. High rates of incorrect answers in the knowledge test show lack in knowledge about decisions concerning patients who are unable to give consent; an average of 18 out of 30 points was achieved. Physicians, male healthcare professionals and respondents with more personal experience regarding advance directives had significantly better results in the knowledge test.
conclusionHealthcare professionals have ethically and practically relevant knowledge deficits and a high need for further training on advance directives. Advance directives play an important role in maintaining patient autonomy and should receive more attention in training and further education equally involving non-medical professional groups.
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