Table 1Survey instrument and results of reliability coefficients.
Classification |
Measurement factors |
Question number |
Number of questions |
Reliability coefficient (Cronbach alpha) |
Elderly |
General life-sustaining treatment |
1, 4∼8 |
6 |
0.955 |
Special life-sustaining treatment |
2∼3, 9∼13 |
7 |
0.977 |
Total |
|
13 |
0.979 |
Family |
General life-sustaining treatment |
1, 4∼8 |
6 |
0.929 |
Special life-sustaining treatment |
2∼3, 9∼13 |
7 |
0.944 |
Total |
|
13 |
0.962 |
Table 2Characteristics of the elderly individuals.
Classification |
Frequency (%) |
Classification |
|
Frequency (%) |
Age (y) |
≤70 |
5 (5.9) |
Monthly income (won) |
≤1 million |
76 (89.4) |
|
70–79 |
24 (28.2) |
|
≥1 million |
9 (10.6) |
|
80–89 |
45 (52.9) |
Admission period (mo) |
≤12 |
45 (52.9) |
|
≥90 |
11 (12.9) |
|
≤13–36 |
20 (23.5) |
|
Mean (SD) |
81.9 ± 7.64 |
|
≤37–60 |
10 (11.8) |
Gender |
Female |
62 (72.9) |
|
≥60 |
10 (11.8) |
|
Male |
23 (27.1) |
|
Mean (SD) |
26.12 ± 30.85 |
Religion |
Have religion |
69 (81.2) |
ADL |
Independent |
51 (60.0) |
|
No religion |
16 (18.8) |
|
Dependent |
34 (40.0) |
Level of education |
0 |
36 (42.9) |
Long-term care rating |
Have rating |
46 (54.1) |
|
1–9 |
23 (27.4) |
|
Excluded |
39 (45.9) |
|
≥10 |
25 (29.8) |
Marital status |
Have a spouse |
26 (30.6) |
|
Mean (SD) |
6.07 ± 6.20 |
|
No spouse |
59 (69.4) |
Table 3Characteristics of family members.
Classification |
Frequency (%) |
Classification |
|
Frequency (%) |
Age (y) |
≤40 |
7 (8.2) |
Monthly income (won) |
≤2 million |
22 (25.9) |
|
40–49 |
23 (27.1) |
|
2–4 million |
39 (45.9) |
|
50–59 |
35 (41.2) |
|
≥4 million |
24 (28.2) |
|
≥60 |
20 (23.5) |
Religion |
Have religion |
70 (82.4) |
|
Mean (SD) |
53.0 ± 11.68 |
|
No religion |
15 (17.6) |
Sex |
Women |
44 (51.8) |
Relationship |
Spouse |
8 (0.9) |
|
Men |
41 (48.2) |
|
Children |
74 (87.1) |
Level of education |
≤9 |
14 (16.5) |
|
Brothers and sisters |
3 (3.5) |
|
10–12 |
33 (38.8) |
Medical bill payment |
Self |
27 (31.8) |
|
≥13 |
38 (44.7) |
|
Others |
58 (68.2) |
Table 4Analysis on the difference of preference level of the life-sustaining treatment of the elderly and family members.
Classification |
Measurement factors |
Elderly
|
Family members
|
F/t |
Mean ± SD |
Mean ± SD |
General prolongation treatments |
Simple tests |
2.30 ± 0.76 |
2.45 ± 0.93 |
5.867 |
Oral feeding |
2.14 ± 0.73 |
2.40 ± 0.89 |
11.240* |
Intravenous hydration |
2.20 ± 0.74 |
2.42 ± 0.91 |
10.288 |
Intravenous feeding |
2.21 ± 0.74 |
2.34 ± 0.89 |
9.084 |
Oral and anal pain control |
2.25 ± 0.79 |
2.51 ± 0.96 |
10.568* |
Intravenous pain control |
2.25 ± 0.79 |
2.56 ± 0.93 |
7.398** |
Total |
2.22 ± 0.68 |
2.46 ± 0.78 |
|
Special prolongation treatments |
Administration of antibiotics for severe infection |
2.12 ± 0.71 |
2.26 ± 0.89 |
14.231 |
Blood transfusions and blood derivatives |
2.02 ± 0.67 |
2.27 ± 0.87 |
20.266* |
Use of respiratory track intubation and respirator |
2.00 ± 0.71 |
1.99 ± 0.84 |
4.074 |
ICU admission |
1.99 ± 0.72 |
2.25 ± 0.88 |
17.591* |
Use of blood pressure elevating medicine |
2.08 ± 0.73 |
2.15 ± 0.81 |
2.897 |
CPR |
1.99 ± 0.73 |
2.09 ± 0.86 |
9.027 |
Tracheotomy |
1.96 ± 0.72 |
1.96 ± 0.75 |
2.062 |
Total |
2.03 ± 0.67 |
2.14 ± 0.73 |
|
Table 5Consensus between the elderly and family members on the life-sustaining treatment.
Classification |
Measurement factors |
Elderly
|
Family members
|
Kappa-value |
p
|
Mean ± SD |
Mean ± SD |
General prolongation treatments |
Simple tests |
2.30 ± 0.76 |
2.45 ± 0.93 |
0.42 |
0.016* |
Oral feeding |
2.14 ± 0.73 |
2.40 ± 0.89 |
0.41 |
0.019* |
Intravenous hydration |
2.20 ± 0.74 |
2.42 ± 0.91 |
0.50 |
0.003** |
Intravenous feeding |
2.21 ± 0.74 |
2.34 ± 0.89 |
0.52 |
0.002** |
Oral and anal pain control |
2.25 ± 0.79 |
2.51 ± 0.96 |
0.29 |
0.089 |
Intravenous pain control |
2.25 ± 0.79 |
2.56 ± 0.93 |
0.18 |
0.221 |
Special prolongation treatments |
Administration of antibiotics for severe infection |
2.12 ± 0.71 |
2.26 ± 0.89 |
0.46 |
0.010** |
Blood transfusions and blood derivatives |
2.02 ± 0.67 |
2.27 ± 0.87 |
0.34 |
0.058 |
Use of respiratory track intubation and respirator |
2.00 ± 0.71 |
2.03 ± 0.84 |
0.28 |
0.106 |
ICU admission |
1.99 ± 0.72 |
2.25 ± 0.88 |
0.36 |
0.047* |
Use of blood pressure elevating medicine |
2.08 ± 0.73 |
2.15 ± 0.81 |
0.46 |
0.009** |
CPR |
1.99 ± 0.73 |
2.06 ± 0.88 |
0.43 |
0.012* |
Tracheotomy |
1.96 ± 0.72 |
1.93 ± 0.77 |
0.46 |
0.007** |