성인의 Advance Directives(AD, 생명연장술(生命延長術) 사전선택(事前選擇))에 대한 태도 연구

The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes and preferences toward advance directives. Analysis sample included 170 cases. The questionnaire asked subjects encompassing whether they have heard of advance directives and if they would complete AD when legislated.

Results were as follow:

1) 83.5% of respondents haven't heard of advance directives. After explaining it, 60.0% responded that they agreed. When AD passes into a law, 52.4% responded they would complete AD.

2) Presumed that they are in a situation that there is no chance of recovery, 73.5% didn’t want themselves to have life-sustaining treatment. Reasons were: it is meaningless to live in persistent vegetative state; it might give burden to family members; it feels more comfortable to have natural dying and death, etc.

3) As for a proxy, respondents preferred a spouse the most, then in order of the following; a son, a daughter, and a doctor. A daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, a nurse, and a minister(including a monk) were less preferred.

4) 73.5% of respondents haven't had discussion about dying and death or life- sustaining treatment with family members. However, 88.2% of respondents believed that family members would make life-sustaining treatment decision for respondents’ their best interests, reflecting their attitudes, beliefs, and preferences towards the treatment.

5) About the question, how they think of discussion about dying and death, 22.4% felt OK; 35.9% did not feel a thing; 27.6% felt a little annoyed; 10.0% felt very annoyed.

6) About an open-ended question, what they want the process of an end of life like, most respondents wanted natural and comfortable dying and death.