Zettel-Watson Laura, Ditto Peter H, Danks Joseph H, Smucker William D
Psychology Department, California State University, Fullerton, P.O. Box 6846, Fullerton, CA 92834-6846, USA.
Death Stud. 2008;32(3):273-90. doi: 10.1080/07481180701881230.
This study examined the influence of surrogate gender on the accuracy of substituted judgments about the use of life-sustaining treatment in a sample of 249 older adults and their self-selected surrogate decision-makers. Overall, wives were more accurate than husbands at predicting their spouses' treatment wishes. Surrogates' perceptions of their own abilities did not differ by gender but, among patients, husbands had more confidence than wives in their spouses' accuracy as, and comfort being, a surrogate. The results are discussed within the context of broader gender differences in caregiving and highlight the need for more research regarding predictors of surrogate accuracy to assist patients in selecting surrogates who will help protect their end of life wishes.
本研究在249名老年人及其自行选择的替代决策者样本中，考察了替代者性别对关于维持生命治疗使用的替代判断准确性的影响。总体而言，在预测配偶的治疗意愿方面，妻子比丈夫更准确。替代者对自身能力的认知不存在性别差异，但在患者中，丈夫比妻子更相信其配偶作为替代者的准确性以及担任替代者时的舒适度。研究结果在更广泛的护理性别差异背景下进行了讨论，并强调需要开展更多关于替代者准确性预测因素的研究，以帮助患者选择能够协助保护其临终意愿的替代者。
