CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Laryngorhinootologie 2021; 100(S 02): S110
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1727924
Abstracts
Head-Neck-Oncology: Clinical Studies

Advance directives and powers of attorney for patients with head and neck cancer - frequency and availability as well as reasons for and against their creation

M Allner
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
M Gostian
2   Malteser Waldkrankenhaus St. Marien, Anästhesiologie, Erlangen
,
M Balk
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
R Rupp
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
Müller Sarina
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
M Traxdorf
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
H Iro
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
,
AO Gostian
1   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Erlangen
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    Background Advance directives (AD) and Powers of Attorney (PoA) are increasingly perceived, discussed and considered useful by the public. Current data from from the clinical care practice for patients with head and neck cancer do not exist at present.

    Methods In this monocentric cross-sectional study we interviewed 503 patients in the context of the tumor-follow up consultation of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Erlangen, regarding their precautionary documents (PD). We investigated the frequency and availability of ADs and PoAs and reasons for and against the creation of PDs.

    Results Evaluable data were available from 447 patients. Of these, 46.3  %  stated that they had written at least one of the PDs. Among them 29  %  stated they had handed in the documents to the clinic, but only 10.2  %  had them in their medical records. The most common reasons for writing PDs were the advice of a family doctor, a relative or a friend (27.5  % ). The second most common reasons were fear of being at the mercy of others, lack of self-determination or over-treatment (24.6  % ). More than half of the patients (55.1  % ) who had not created any documents said that they wanted to deal with the topic but had not yet done so. Only 10  %  of the patients deliberately decided against the creation of PDs.

    Conclusion The frequency and availability of precautionary documents among head and neck cancer patients is unsatisfactory. Few patients make a conscious decision against having PDs. There is great potential for improvement at this point. The findings show the current situation in head and neck oncology and point the way for efforts to increase the frequency and availability of PDs in the future.

    Poster-PDF A-1520.pdf


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    Conflict of interest

    Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenskonflikt an.

    Address for correspondence

    Allner Moritz
    Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde
    Erlangen

    Publication History

    Article published online:
    13 May 2021

    © 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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