Table 1
End-of-life preferences and influencing factors
| End-of-life preferences: patients (n = 20) | Influencing factors for patients (where given) | End-of-life preferences: carers (n = 11) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Would want treatment to prolong life stopped in certain circumstances (n = 9) Would always want treatment to prolong life continued (n = 4) Couldn’t say either way (n = 2) Avoided the question (n = 2) Could see both points of view (n = 1) | Mobility (n = 4) Age (n = 2) Pain (n = 1) Ability to function physically (n = 1) Frequency of hospitalisation and wife’s situation (n = 1) Quality of life and mental ability (n = 1) | Would want treatment to prolong life stopped in certain circumstances (n = 5) Could not decide now for the future (n = 3) Avoided the question (n = 1) Up to the clinician (n = 1) Up to the patient, although carer may over-ride his decision (n = 1) | ||
| Preparing for death, though wanting to live (n = 1) | ||||
| “No one can prolong life, only God” (n = 1) |
