JOURNAL ARTICLE

Advance Care Directive Preferences in Women Veterans: A Snapshot.

  • Published In: Omega: Journal of Death & Dying, 2025, v. 90, n. 4. P. 1925 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: West, Sharon K.; Peek, Brian; Al-Achi, Antoine; LeCompte, Doreen 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the preferences of women veterans regarding the use of the Veterans Administration Advance Directive (VA AD) for life-sustaining treatments (LSTs) in various illness scenarios. Analyzing 484 completed VA ADs from women veterans between 2010 and 2019, the study found that 63.1% preferred their advance directives to serve as general guidance rather than be strictly followed, a trend similar to that observed in male veterans. The only statistically significant factor influencing a preference for strict adherence was the scenario of being unconscious, in a coma, or in a vegetative state. These findings highlight the importance of educating surrogate decision-makers about their roles and support the Veterans Health Affairs’ Goals of Care initiative to facilitate end-of-life discussions tailored to women veterans’ preferences.

Additional Information

  • Source:Omega: Journal of Death & Dying. 2025/03, Vol. 90, Issue 4, p1925
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Consumer Health
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0030-2228
  • DOI:10.1177/00302228221130115
  • Accession Number:182501351
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Omega: Journal of Death & Dying is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.