Table 3 Medical professionals’ understanding and awareness of ACPs

 Never

6

4.8

6

10.2

30

16.4

22

17.9

20

18.3

0.097

 Occasionally

31

25.0

25

43.1

75

41.0

40

32.5

35

32.1

 Sometimes

56

45.2

21

36.2

53

29.0

46

37.4

36

33.0

 Often

26

21.0

5

8.6

17

9.3

10

8.1

15

13.8

 Always

5

4.0

1

1.7

4

2.2

0

0.0

1

0.9

 No response

0

0.0

0

0.0

4

2.2

5

4.1

2

1.8

 It is carried out for people whose prognosis is that they will die within one year.

14

11.3

11

19.0

16

8.7

18

14.6

8

7.3

< 0.001

 The healthcare provider selects the most appropriate person as the proxy decision-maker.

12

12.5

7

11.9

13

7.1

12

9.8

10

9.2

0.169

 Healthcare providers ask patients about their treatment preferences; they also ask the patients to decide.

75

61.0

40

69.0

91

49.7

53

43.1

36

33.0

< 0.001

 Healthcare providers must always inform patients of the expected course of illness and life expectancy (prognosis).

45

36.3

16

27.6

63

34.4

32

26.0

46

42.2

< 0.001

 Decisions once considered should be adhered to, and treatments’ intentions should remain unchanged.

1

0.8

1

1.7

2

1.1

3

2.4

2

1.8

0.227

 Correct answer

42

33.9

27

45.8

62

33.9

35

28.5

20

18.3

< 0.001

Degree of confidence in providing ACPs support to patients/families (range 0–100), mean ± SD

0.016