[Seniors' knowledge of and attitudes to advance directive documents]

The aim of this study was to determine seniors' knowledge of and attitudes toward advance directive documents.

We carried out a cross-sectional descriptive study in a primary care setting in the provinces of Albacete and Guadalajara, Spain (n = 464).

A total of 86.2% (95% CI: 83.0-89.5) of the participants were unaware of advance directive documents and only 3.4% (95% CI: 1.7-5.3) had formalized one. These documents were positively viewed by 76.7% of the participants (95% CI: 72.8-80.7). The variables associated with positive attitudes toward advance directives in logistic regression were educational level (OR = 4.7; 95% CI: 2.6-8.4) and experience of a situation in which such a document would have helped (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-3.4).

Seniors had positive attitudes toward advance directives, but the proportion of persons aware of these documents was low.