ABSTRACT
AIM: This retrospective review examined the influence of age and severity of comorbidities on goals-of-care in advance care plans (ACPlans) and concordance between these wishes and care received during hospital admission. METHODS: The medical records of 149 people with an ACPlan admitted to a public hospital were reviewed to evaluate concordance with treatment. The associations between age and comorbidities and goals-of-care were determined using contingency tables and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The majority of the review cohort were Caucasian and elderly, with people from minority ethnic groups under-represented compared to census data. Increasing age had a measurable influence on the choice of goal-of-care, whereas comorbidity severity had less influence on this decision. In 60 of the 411 hospital admissions the patient was classified as incompetent, with the goal-of-care adhered to in 59 of these cases and treatment preferences adhered to in six of seven cases. Fifty-five people had died since writing their ACPlan, with 63% dying at their preferred place or with no preference stated. CONCLUSIONS: Age and to a lesser extent the severity of comorbidities influence the choice of goal-of-care in an ACPlan. Our review also showed that end-of-life care appeared to adhere to the instructions in the plan.
