End-of-life preferences in Hawaii

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Public Health
• Bioethics

Background:

• End-of-life care preferences are crucial for patient-centered medical practice.
• Understanding regional variations in end-of-life care attitudes is important for healthcare policy.
• Advance directives and hospice care are key components of quality end-of-life care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare end-of-life care preferences of Hawaii residents with those of mainland populations.
• To assess the prevalence of advance directive completion and support for aid in dying in Hawaii.
• To inform healthcare providers about patient preferences for end-of-life care.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two statewide, random-sample telephone surveys.
• Collected data on end-of-life preferences, including advance directives, place of death, hospice care, and aid in dying.
• Analyzed survey data to compare Hawaii residents with mainland populations.

Main Results:

• Hawaii residents demonstrated similar rates of advance directive completion compared to mainlanders.
• A significant preference for dying at home and desire for hospice care was observed in Hawaii.
• Support for the legalization of aid in dying among Hawaii residents mirrored mainland attitudes.

Conclusions:

• End-of-life care preferences in Hawaii align with national trends.
• Physicians play a vital role in initiating conversations about end-of-life preferences.
• Proactive physician-patient communication can enhance end-of-life care quality and alignment with patient wishes.