Abstract
The goal of this study was to identify various sociodemographic and clinical variables related to the completion of advance directives among 281 elderly male veterans recruited from the acute medical inpatient unit of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Results found the rates of advance directives to be higher among elderly male veterans compared to other populations (44% had either a durable power of attorney or a living will, 34.2% had a living will, and 35.2% had a durable power of attorney). In addition, individuals who completed an advance directive were significantly more likely to be Caucasian than non-Caucasian. Other than race, there were other important factors including religiosity, desire for life-saving treatment, social support, and depressive symptoms that were related to the completion of advance directives among elderly veterans. Such factors seem consistent with the research literature on nonveteran populations.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
