Advance directives prior to COVID-19 diagnosis in a United States national healthcare system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An advance directive (AD) document allows a patient to indicate their health care preferences and identify an agent to make decisions on their behalf if they lose their ability to communicate. Due to the substantially elevated risk of acute respiratory failure and death during the COVID-19 pandemic, ADs were especially relevant. The objective of this study was to describe AD completed prior to COVID-19 infection (COVID-19) among patients receiving care in a national healthcare system.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study of United States Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients with COVID-19 between March 2020 and December 2022. AD completion before COVID-19 was ascertained by progress note titles in the electronic health record. Covariates included age, sex, r

SUBMITTER: Schwartz AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12716786 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature