The Preparedness of Hong Kong Medical Students Towards Advance Directives and End-Of-Life Issues (Original Article) (Report‪)‬

Introduction In general, the concept of advance directives (AD) for health care refers to a statement, usually written, in which a mentally competent individual specifies the form of future health care desired in the event that competence is lacking. (1) Legal scholars regard it as an extension of human rights, largely derived from the principles of informed consent and respect for autonomy. The purpose of an AD is to permit the individual to fulfil their goals according to their own value system, and to relieve the family stress. Since the concept of AD in the context of Hong Kong is currently restricted to refusal of life-sustaining treatment, more experience might be required to evaluate whether a wider approach to health care planning is merited in the future. (2)