Autonomy, in context : understanding preferences for decision-making involvement among long-term care residents
Date
2002
Authors
Funk, Laura
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Abstract
Long-term care facility residents can be empowered by participating directly in care or medical decision-making. This can also enhance their emotional and physical health. However, research on preferences for participation in decision-making reveals that there is almost always some portion of individuals who do not want to be involved in medical and/or care decisions.
This research explores the predictors of the preferences of cognitively intact LTC facility residents to participate in decision-making, through the multivariate analysis of data from semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 100 residents sampled from six LTC facilities in Victoria, British Columbia.
Generally, a large proportion of respondents reported preferring full , independent involvement in four types of care and medical decisions. Residents with higher levels of formal education, a greater number of chronic conditions, and who are confident about the worth of their input tend to prefer more active involvement in decision-making. This research also suggests that predictors of the desire for independent control over decision making are different from predictors of a preference for joint decision-making. Implications for the empowerment of LTC facility residents and the meaning of decision making in such environments are discussed.