ELDERS' VIEWS OF LIFE-SUSTAINING TECHNOLOGIES (ETHICS).
Contributors: Boston College.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 153
Subjects: Gerontology.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: Advances in medical science have promoted the availability of "life saving" technologies. The elderly comprise over 30 percent of patients receiving dialysis, nutritional support, and mechanical ventilation, and 55 percent of those receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The use of these technologies have raised clinical and ethical issues regarding the quality of life, the meaning of postponing death, and the right to choose or refuse such care. Although the benefits and burdens of treatment are viewed differently by individuals, there are no comprehensive measures for health care providers to assess these differences.

The purpose of this study was to describe elderly individuals' current preferences regarding invasive, life-sustaining treatments and to identify their relationship to health, hope and select demographic variables. The convenience sample consisted of 328 adults 62 years of age and older, living in private residences and able to comprehend English.

The design for the study was descriptive and correlational. The investigation was considered correlational since it sought to examine the relationship between hope and/or health status dimensions and life-sustaining technology preferences of elders. The Life-Sustaining Technologies Scale was developed by the investigator to identify preferences regarding four invasive, mechanical life-sustaining technologies in relation to various functional capabilities. Health dimensions were identified using the Short-Form General Health Survey, a 20 item, multiple choice, self-evaluation describing general function and well being. Hope was measured using the Miller Hope Scale, a 40 item, six point Likert scale. Data was analyzed through descriptive and parametric comparative statistical procedures.

Findings identified preferences of a select group of elders regarding life-sustaining interventions. Generally, elders were more apt to agree to treatment if physically and mentally capable prior to the medical event. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was the most commonly agreed to treatment. Health care proxies were designated by 42% of the population to represent their wishes should they suddenly become unable to make decisions regarding their care. There was no direct correlation between hope or health dimensions and life-sustaining preferences.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-01, Section: A, page: 0280.

Thesis (PH.D.)--BOSTON COLLEGE, 1992.

School code: 0016.