The HIV-specific advance directive.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether persons living with HIV find a disease-specific advance directive more acceptable than a generic directive.

DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial.

SETTING

HIV consumer organization and hospital-based HIV clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

Volunteer sample of persons with HIV.

INTERVENTIONS

The disease-specific HIV Living Will, the generic Centre for Bioethics Living Will, or both.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Of 101 participants who received both advance directives, 78 (77.2%) preferred the disease-specific HIV Living Will and 23 (22.8%) preferred the generic Centre for Bioethics Living Will (p < .001). Most participants who preferred the HIV Living Will did so because it was more specific or relevant to their situation.

CONCLUSIONS

Persons living with HIV prefer a disease-specific to a generic advance directive. They should be offered a disease-specific advance directive. Our findings should also encourage investigators to develop and evaluate disease-specific advance directives in other clinical settings.