Figure 9. Percent of Elderly Adults Choosing Selected Treatments in Hypothetical Scenarios Based on Chance of Recovery or Presence of Pain

Advance Care Planning: Preferences for Care at the End of Life

Bar graphs showing the percent of adults choosing 4 selected treatments in 6 hypothetical scenarios based on chance of recovery or presence of pain; go to [D] text description for details.

Text Description

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of coma with no chance of recovery: 6.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of coma with no chance of recovery: 6.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of coma with no chance of recovery: 6.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of coma with no chance of recovery: 2.

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of coma with a slight chance of recovery: 40.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of coma with a slight chance of recovery: 32.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of coma with a slight chance of recovery: 26.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of coma with a slight chance of recovery: 20.

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with no chance of recovery: 29.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with no chance of recovery: 14.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with no chance of recovery: 14.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with no chance of recovery: 4.

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with a slight chance of recovery: 58.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with a slight chance of recovery: 40.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with a slight chance of recovery: 38.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of stroke with a slight chance of recovery: 24.

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer with pain: 22.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer with pain: 18.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer with pain: 16.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer with pain: 12.

Percent of adults choosing antibiotics in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer without pain: 52.
Percent of adults choosing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer without pain: 44.
Percent of adults choosing gallbladder surgery in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer without pain: 26.
Percent of adults choosing artificial nutrition/hydration in a hypothetical scenario of terminal cancer without pain: 20.

Source: Coppola KM, Bookwala J, Ditto PH, et al. Elderly adults' preferences for life-sustaining treatments: the role of impairment, prognosis, and pain. Death Studies 1999;23:617-34.

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Page last reviewed March 2003

Internet Citation: Figure 9. Percent of Elderly Adults Choosing Selected Treatments in Hypothetical Scenarios Based on Chance of Recovery or Presence of Pain: Advance Care Planning: Preferences for Care at the End of Life. March 2003. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/aging/endliferia/endfig9.html