Preferences for different life-sustaining treatments among elderly persons in Israel

The purpose of this study was to assess elderly persons' wishes regarding the use and choice of different life-sustaining treatments (LST). Data were collected from a random sample of 987 Israeli elderly persons, aged 70+. Interviewees were questioned about their wishes for artificial feeding, mechanical ventilation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in five different illness conditions. Results indicate that significantly more of the respondents would want to prolong their life in mild rather than in severe illness conditions. Significant differences are found, however, among subgroups who differ on religiosity, gender, education, and health status. The findings also indicate that in all five illness conditions, elderly persons are more likely to want cardiopulmonary resuscitation than artificial feeding. This is explained by the fact that the public's main source of information is television dramas, and that there is a lack of communication about the use of LST among physicians and patients and their families.