Preferences for end‐of‐life care and decision‐making among Chinese community‐dwelling older adults: A comparative cross‐sectional study in Hong Kong and Wuhan in China. (22nd November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cheng, Hui‐Lin; Kwong, Enid; Chan, Kitty; Lai, Claudia; Xi, Xin‐Xue; Lee, Paul
• Is Part Of: Nursing & health sciences. Volume 25:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 63
• Page End: 72
• Publication Date: 2022-11-22
• Subjects: community -- culture -- decision‐making -- end‐of‐life care -- family care -- older adults; Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Periodicals; 610.73
• DOI: 10.1111/nhs.12990
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1441-0745

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to describe and compare end‐of‐life care and decision‐making preferences among Chinese community‐dwelling older adults between Wuhan and Hong Kong in China. The study adopted a cross‐sectional correlation design and recruited a convenience sample of 259 older adults, aged ≥65 years old from five community centers in Wuhan and Hong Kong. Participants completed a validated structured questionnaire that measured their end‐of‐life care and decision‐making preferences. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results showed that Wuhan participants were significantly more likely to view "trying every means to extend the life span" as very important/important; and they perceived "support from religious personnel" as unimportant/very unimportant. Different from those older adults in Hong Kong, the Wuhan participants significantly chose their home as the preferred place for end‐of‐life care and death. They also tended to prefer family members to enact the decision‐maker role in end‐of‐life decision situations. The study suggests older adults in Hong Kong and Wuhan have some differences in preferences for end‐of‐life care and decision‐making, which provides the basis for future development of culturally relevant community‐based end‐of‐life care.