Apr 2011: YouGov poll on awareness of end-of-life rights

A poll of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Compassion in Dying, found that 60% of adults would only want comfort care at the end of their lives, although just 3% had made their treatment wishes clear in an Advance Decision.

The majority (53%) also wrongly believed that they had the legal right to make treatment decisions on behalf of their loved ones, if their loved ones lost the ability to communicate their wishes.

There is often an assumption that healthcare professionals must do all they can to keep people alive. However, when someone is dying, it is often in their best interest to focus on using palliative treatments to ensure they are comfortable rather than to continue more aggressive, life- sustaining treatment. This poll shows that a majority of the public shares this view.

However, few people have made those preferences clear in an Advance Decision. People often believe that decisions about their treatment can be made on their behalf by family or friends, while the reality is that in the absence of an Advance Decision or a Lasting Power of Attorney, these decisions are often made by healthcare professionals who may or may not be able to consult with family members.

Survey results:

If you were dying with no prospect of recovery - in the last days and weeks of life, which one of the following would you prefer?

•     Comfort care only – 60%
•     Limited additional intervention – 14%
•     Full treatment – 8%
•     Don’t know – 14%
•     Prefer not to say – 5%

If an adult loved one/ your next of kin lost the ability to communicate their wishes, do you think you would have the legal right to make medical treatment decisions on their behalf?

•     Yes, I do – 53%
•     No, I don’t – 24%
•     Don’t know – 23%

Do you currently have an Advance Decision document?

•     Yes, I do – 3%
•     No, I don’t –  93%
•     Don’t know – 4%

Click here for the full poll results