Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Many patients have mixed feelings about end-of-life care, even when facing life-limiting conditions. Motivational interviewing might be useful for supporting patients in evoking reasons for advance care planning. This study aimed to examine the effects of an advance care planning...

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Main Authors: Helen Yue-Lai Chan, Doris Yin-Ping Leung, Po-Tin Lam, Polly Po-Shan Ko, Raymond Wai-Man Lam, Kin-Shan Chan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Palliative Care
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01667-9
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author Helen Yue-Lai Chan
Doris Yin-Ping Leung
Po-Tin Lam
Polly Po-Shan Ko
Raymond Wai-Man Lam
Kin-Shan Chan
author_facet Helen Yue-Lai Chan
Doris Yin-Ping Leung
Po-Tin Lam
Polly Po-Shan Ko
Raymond Wai-Man Lam
Kin-Shan Chan
author_sort Helen Yue-Lai Chan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Many patients have mixed feelings about end-of-life care, even when facing life-limiting conditions. Motivational interviewing might be useful for supporting patients in evoking reasons for advance care planning. This study aimed to examine the effects of an advance care planning program adopting motivational interviewing among palliative care patients. Methods A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted between January 2018 and December 2019 in the palliative care clinics of two hospitals. Adult patients who were newly referred to palliative care services, with a score of 60 or higher in the Palliative Performance Scale and mentally competent, were eligible for the study. While all participants received palliative care as usual care, those in the intervention group also received the advance care planning program through three home visits. The primary outcome was the readiness to discuss and document end-of-life care decisions, and the secondary outcomes included decisional conflict, perceived stress, and quality of life. Results A total of 204 participants (mean [SD] age, 74.9 [10.8]; 64.7% male; 80.4% cancer) were recruited. Generalized estimating equation analyses showed a significant improvement in readiness for advance care planning behaviors in the intervention group compared with the control group at 3 months post-allocation (group-by-time interaction, appointing proxy: β = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.25–1.35; p = .005; discussing with family: β = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.22–1.31; p = .006; discussing with medical doctors: β = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.30–1.42; p = .003; documenting: β = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.36–1.41; p < .001). The proportions of signing advance directives and placing a do-not-attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation order were significantly higher in the intervention group, with a relative risk of 3.43 (95% CI, 1.55–7.60) and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.04–1.28), respectively. The intervention group reported greater improvements in social support and value of life than the control group immediately after the intervention. Significant improvements in decisional conflicts and perceived stress were noted in both groups. Conclusions Motivational interviewing was effective in supporting patients to resolve ambivalence regarding end-of-life care, thereby increasing their readiness for discussing and documenting their care choices. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04162912 (Registered on 14/11//2019).
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spelling doaj-art-9ba8f21e03d9463a85d0fdcb573faba32025-02-02T12:47:39ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2025-01-012411910.1186/s12904-025-01667-9Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trialHelen Yue-Lai Chan0Doris Yin-Ping Leung1Po-Tin Lam2Polly Po-Shan Ko3Raymond Wai-Man Lam4Kin-Shan Chan5The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong KongSchool of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityUnited Christian Hospital, Hospital AuthorityKowloon East Cluster, Hospital AuthorityHaven of Hope HospitalHaven of Hope HospitalAbstract Background Many patients have mixed feelings about end-of-life care, even when facing life-limiting conditions. Motivational interviewing might be useful for supporting patients in evoking reasons for advance care planning. This study aimed to examine the effects of an advance care planning program adopting motivational interviewing among palliative care patients. Methods A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted between January 2018 and December 2019 in the palliative care clinics of two hospitals. Adult patients who were newly referred to palliative care services, with a score of 60 or higher in the Palliative Performance Scale and mentally competent, were eligible for the study. While all participants received palliative care as usual care, those in the intervention group also received the advance care planning program through three home visits. The primary outcome was the readiness to discuss and document end-of-life care decisions, and the secondary outcomes included decisional conflict, perceived stress, and quality of life. Results A total of 204 participants (mean [SD] age, 74.9 [10.8]; 64.7% male; 80.4% cancer) were recruited. Generalized estimating equation analyses showed a significant improvement in readiness for advance care planning behaviors in the intervention group compared with the control group at 3 months post-allocation (group-by-time interaction, appointing proxy: β = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.25–1.35; p = .005; discussing with family: β = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.22–1.31; p = .006; discussing with medical doctors: β = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.30–1.42; p = .003; documenting: β = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.36–1.41; p < .001). The proportions of signing advance directives and placing a do-not-attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation order were significantly higher in the intervention group, with a relative risk of 3.43 (95% CI, 1.55–7.60) and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.04–1.28), respectively. The intervention group reported greater improvements in social support and value of life than the control group immediately after the intervention. Significant improvements in decisional conflicts and perceived stress were noted in both groups. Conclusions Motivational interviewing was effective in supporting patients to resolve ambivalence regarding end-of-life care, thereby increasing their readiness for discussing and documenting their care choices. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04162912 (Registered on 14/11//2019).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01667-9Motivational interviewingAdvance care planningPalliative careBehavioral changeMedical decision
spellingShingle Helen Yue-Lai Chan
Doris Yin-Ping Leung
Po-Tin Lam
Polly Po-Shan Ko
Raymond Wai-Man Lam
Kin-Shan Chan
Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
BMC Palliative Care
Motivational interviewing
Advance care planning
Palliative care
Behavioral change
Medical decision
title Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
title_full Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
title_short Effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting: a randomized controlled trial
title_sort effect of motivational interviewing to promote advance care planning among palliative care patients in ambulatory care setting a randomized controlled trial
topic Motivational interviewing
Advance care planning
Palliative care
Behavioral change
Medical decision
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01667-9
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