Advance directives in German memory clinics.

ABSTRACT: People have the right to accept or refuse medical treatment provided they give voluntary, prior and informed consent. When capacity to consent is impaired, autonomy can be preserved through a clear, legally valid advance directive. Cognitive impairments, such as dementia, increase the risk of compromised capacity to consent. This study examines the prevalence of advance directives among patients at German memory clinics and explores predictors influencing their presence, focusing on compliance with informed consent standards.Using an observational cross-sectional design, 289 outpatients were assessed. Data included the presence of advance directives, circumstances of their creation and the patient characteristics age, gender, education, cognitive status, physical and mental health, need fo

SUBMITTER: Garmann D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12644161 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature