2003 Minnesota Advance Directives Survey December 2004 2003 Minnesota Advance Directives Survey Data Collected by Minnesota Center for Survey Research Report Prepared by Susan L. Silberman, Ph.D. Copyright © 2004 AARP Knowledge Management 601 E Street NW Washington, DC 20049 http://research.aarp.org Reprinting with Permission AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over. We provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for our members. These include AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our quarterly newspaper in Spanish; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for National Retired Teachers Association members; and our Web site, www.aarp.org. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Acknowledgements AARP staff from the Minnesota State Office and Knowledge Management contributed to the design and implementation of this study. Special thanks go to AARP staff including Michele Kimball, Minnesota State Office; Keith Weigel, Minnesota State Office; Amy McDouough, Minnesota State Office; Irene Henshaw, State Affairs; Gretchen Straw, Knowledge Management; Erica Dinger, Knowledge Management; and Cheryl Barnes, Knowledge Management. Rossana Armson, of the Minnesota Center for Survey Research, insured a timely and high quality survey. Susan L. Silberman, AARP Knowledge Management, managed all aspects of the project and wrote the report. For more information, contact Susan L. Silberman at (202) 434-6339. Survey Highlights This survey examines the opinions of Minnesota residents 18 and older and their use of advance health care directives and who, if anyone, they have talked with about their wishes at the end of life. • More than one quarter (27%) of survey repondents have completed an Advance Health Care Directive, Living Will, or Health Care Power of Attorney. • Of those who have not completed one (73%), the majority say they don’t think they need such a document (32%), they have not gotten around to it (31%), it takes too much time (24%), they don’t know where to get the documents (23%), and they have never heard of the document before (18%). • Two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents say they have talked with someone about their wishes at the end of life. • The overwhelming majority (74%) have spoken to their spouse/partner. Others people that respondents have spoken with about their end of life wishes to include an adult child (34%), other family members such as children under 18, siblings and cousins (32%), their parents (26%), and friends (21%). Lawyers (17%), primary physicians (9%), clergy/pastor/priest (3%) and other health care providers (3%) -- such as some other doctor, nurse, etc. -- are mentioned less often. Methodology AARP commissioned the Minnesota Center for Survey Research, at the University of Minnesota, to conduct an omni-poll survey of state residents who are age 18 and older. A total of 804 interviews were completed between September 22, 2003 and November 16, 2003.1 The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. This means that in 95 out of 100 samples of this size, the results obtained in the sample would fall in a range of 3.5 percentage points of what would have been obtained if every state resident age 18 or older had been surveyed. Responses to all survey questions are in the attached annotated questionnaire. 1 The response rate is 37 percent and the cooperation rate is 45 percent. The response rate is Response Rate 1 and the cooperation rate is Cooperation Rate 3 from the following publication: The American Association for Public Opinion Research. 2000. Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys. Ann Arbor, Michigan: AAPOR. 2003 Minnesota Advance Directives Survey 2 A Profile of Minnesota Respondents Eight hundred and four Minnesota residents 18 and older participated in the survey. The majority of respondents are women (52%). Respondents vary in age: 29 percent are 34 or younger, 32 percent are between 35 and 49, and 40 percent are 50 or older. Two in three (65%) Minnesota respondents are married; although, 22 percent are single, divorced (8%), or widowed (4%). Most respondents have some college or technical training beyond high school (35%) or hold a bachelor’s degree (27%). More than half (52%) of respondent are employed either full-or part-time. Over half (51%) of Minnesota respondents have an annual household income of $60,000 or more. Almost six in seven (84%) say they own their own residence; eight in ten (81%) live in a single family detached home. Respondents come from all of Minnesota’s 86 counties; however, most respondents live in Hennepin (21%) or Ramsey (11%) county. Most respondents identify as White/Caucasian (93%), although the sample includes small representations of Mexican/Hispanic (2%), Black/African American (2%), and Asian or Pacific Islander (2%). Survey respondents are evenly split across the political spectrum: Democrat (33%), Independent (32%), and Republican (31%). Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or what? (n=744) Republican 31% Democrat 33% Other 4% Independent 32% 2003 Minnesota Advance Directives Survey 3 Annotated Questionnaire 2003 Minnesota Advance Directives Survey 4 Advance Health Care Directive WEIGHTED N =804, RESPONSE RATE =37% SAMPLING ERROR = +/- 3.5% (Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding or multiple responses. A “*” means less than 1%) An Advance Health Care Directive is a document that allows you to appoint someone to make health care decisions on your behalf and/or to leave instructions about the kind of health care you want or don’t want. This document is used to guide decisions about your health care in the event that you become very ill and cannot decide for yourself. The document is sometimes called a Living Will or Health Care Power of Attorney. Q1. Have you completed an Advance Health Care Directive, Living Will or Health Care Power of Attorney? % 27 Yes (If Yes, go to Q2) 73 No (If No, go to Q1a) 0 Don’t know (If DK, go to Q2) 0 RA (If RA, go to Q2) Q1a. (IF NO) Why haven’t you completed one of these documents? Was it (Read each) % 18 You never heard of this before 32 You don’t think I need such a document 23 You don’t know where to get document 4 The document was too hard to understand 24 It takes too much time 31 Haven’t gotten around to it/too busy (Volunteered) 10 Too young to need it now (Volunteered) 1 Too healthy to need it now (Volunteered) 1 In the process of completing it now (Volunteered) 2 Someone else will take care of it (Volunteered) 3 Some other reason (Specify) _____________________ Q2. Have you talked with ANYONE about your wishes at the end of life? % 66 Yes (If Yes, go to Q2a) 34 No (If No, go to next section) 0 Don’t know (If DK, go to next section) 0 RA (If RA, go to next section) 2004, Advance Health Care Directive, Omnibus Survey Q2a. (If Yes) Who have you talked with about this ….(read each) % 74 Your Spouse/partner 34 An adult child 26 Your Parents 32 Some other family members (children under 18, siblings, cousins etc.) 21 Friend 3 Clergy/pastor/priest 17 Lawyer 9 Primary Physican 3 Another health care provider (some other doctor, nurse, etc. 3 Other (Specify) _____________________ 2004, Advance Health Care Directive, Omnibus Survey 2