American International Journal of Social Science

Attitudes towards Advance Directive: From the Perspective of Chinese Adults in Hong Kong
Mimi MH TIU

Abstract
Advance Directive is a statement which a person indicates when mentally competent the form of health care he/she would like to have at a future time when he/she is no longer competent. It acts to advocate and promote patient’s self-determination and autonomy. AD does not have legal status in Hong Kong currently and it is still in the consultation process. Thus, it is necessary to know the attitudes of the public towards AD. Since there are limited researches and reports to reflect their attitudes, this study aimed to explore the attitudes towards AD among Chinese adults in Hong Kong. A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. Four themes emerged from the study included: (i) maintaining autonomy; (ii) unwilling of being a burden to family member; (iii) enhancing communication and (iv) worrying about the uncertainties related to AD. Understanding these attitudes helped to facilitate the process of implementing AD in Hong Kong.

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