Prospective cohort study for the change in advance directives among community-dwelling older adults

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19151
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: Tottori University
• Principal Investigator: Kinjo Aya 鳥取大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50529427)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-03-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 事前指示 / アドバンス・ケア・プランニング / 終末期医療 / 地域在住高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For many community-dwelling older adults, preferences about the medical policy they would like to receive at the end of life do not change with the onset of illness or physical decline. Among the elderly who do not wish to think about their own end-of-life care, the intentions expressed are likely to change. When checking the intention of receiving medical care at the end-of-life in Japan, it would be good to have an option of "do not wish to think about my own end-of-life" as well. The older they get, the more difficult it becomes to elicit "preferences about the medical policy they would like to receive at the end of life" from the elderly who do not wish to think about their own end-of-life care. A change to "I want to receive as much medical care as possible" was observed among those who had a life event that increased their role or value.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、地域在住高齢者が終末期に受ける医療行為の希望をどのように示してもらえばよいのか、表明した終末期に受ける医療方針の希望が変化するのかと、変化に関わる要因について明らかにした。この結果を元に、地域在住高齢者が定期的に意向を表明しやすいツールを開発できる。それにより意向が表明しやすくなり、高齢者の尊厳保持、家族の葛藤や、医療者の負担軽減、不要な医療行為の削減といった面での改善が期待される。