Developmental and contextual correlates of elders' anticipated end-of-life treatment decisions.

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into developmental and contextual correlates of the aggressiveness in treatment that community-based elders anticipate they will desire at the end of life. Elders completed questionnaires to measure 4 developmental factors (integrated moral reasoning, self-transcendence, past experience with life-threatening illness, and age) and five contextual factors (education level, gender, ethnicity, current health status, and completion of a living will). The variance in desired aggressiveness in treatment was explained by both developmental and contextual correlates.

Health care for the elderly: a social obligation.

Topic: Ageism in the allocation of health care.

Purpose: To explore the ethical bases for rationing health care according to age, and to make appropriate recommendations for nursing policy and practice.

Sources: Published literature.