Table 3.
Descriptive statistics of the General Public Attitudes toward Advance Care Directives (GPATACD) Scale.
| M ** (SD †) | |
|---|---|
| 1. The existence of the vital testament is not important. * | 1.56 (0.74) |
| 2. My opinion should not be respected in the EOL process. * | 1.22 (0.51) |
| 4. The ACD does not reflect the patient’s values and preferences when making therapeutic decisions at the EOL. * | 1.88 (0.84) |
| 5. ACDs are a useful tool for healthcare professionals when making decisions about EOL patients. * | 1.76 (0.85) |
| 6. The health care prosecutor appointed by the patient does not facilitate the professionals’ decision-making. * | 2.18 (0.83) |
| 7. Compliance with ACDs pertain to the physician. | 1.79 (1.03) |
| 8. ACDs are a legal form of euthanasia. | 1.56 (0.96) |
| 9. It is not important that patients make their vital testament or ACD. * | 1.73 (0.87) |
| 10. It is not important that all citizens make their vital testament or ACD. * | 1.79 (0.92) |
| 11. ACDs are important only for religious reasons. | 1.33 (0.73) |
| 12. Legalization of the vital testament did not contribute to human dignity. * | 1.61 (0.83) |
| 13. Death must be postponed, regardless of the person’s condition. | 1.58 (0.95) |
| 14. EOL care should be provided based on the opinion of the health professional. | 2.54 (1.13) |
| 15. EOL care should not be provided based on the patient’s opinion. * | 2.16 (0.98) |
| 16. I do not want to be able to have an opinion on the care I can receive in an end-of-life situation. * | 1.40 (0.64) |
| 17. EOL care should be provided based on the opinion of the family. | 2.11 (1.01) |
| 18. My family will make the EOL decisions for me, when necessary. | 2.19 (1.14) |
| 19. I will overwhelm my family with EOL decisions. * | 1.66 (0.93) |
| 20. My doctor will make the EOL decisions for me when the time comes. | 2.07 (1.11) |
| 22. The vital testament is only important for elderly and sick people. * | 1.51 (0.78) |
| 25. I am currently healthy, but there may be a need to consider decisions regarding the final phase of my life. | 2.08 (1.17) |
| 26. At my current age, there is no need to consider EOL decisions. | 1.85 (1.04) |
| 27. I have no information on ACD/vital testament. | 2.83 (1.21) |
| 28. It is possible to make EOL decisions, even if I cannot imagine myself in such a situation. | 2.26 (1.05) |
| 29. I do not make a Vital Testament because there is still little information available. | 2.60 (1.05) |
| 30. I don’t want to think that I will eventually die or become disabled, to the point of not being able to make decisions. | 2.64 (1.22) |
| Total | 1.92 (0.44) |
* Negative items; ** M = Mean; † SD = Standard Deviation.