The effect of advance care planning on completion of advance directives and patient satisfaction in people with HIV/AIDS

The effects of advance care planning are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an advance care planning intervent ion on the completion of advance directives (ADs) and patient satisfaction. A volunteer sample of persons with HIV/AIDS received advance directive doc uments, watched an educational video and received individual counselling on completing an advance directive during three face-to-face interviews otter approximately six months. The advance care planning intervention was assoc iated with an increase in advance directive completion rates from 16.4% to 40.7% (p = 0.001), but 23.1% of advance directives reported as completed we re legally invalid. There was a trend towards decreased overall patient sat isfaction with health care (p = 0.07). Advance are planning increases the r ate of AD completion but many 'completed' advance directives are legally in valid. Advance care planning did not improve patient satisfaction with heal th care.