Advance Directives

This entry discusses advance directives, which are documents (and sometimes verbal statements) that express an individual's care preferences and designate decision makers for times when they are not able to make their own healthcare decisions. Although most adults do not have an advance directive, it is an important way for individuals to consider and express their preferences for care, including the extent to which they wish to receive life‐sustaining treatment. Race, religion, education, and culture are among the many individual attributes that inform an individual's willingness to document their care preferences and designate decision makers. Literacy plays a special role in preparing advance directives because they typically include complex legal language. Because of the benefits of expressing preferences and designating decision makers, a number of interventions provide education and communication training aimed at empowering individuals to complete advance directives.