Thursday, September 18, 2003

National Institute of Mental Health Funds 1.98 Million Study to Examine Effectiveness of Advance Directives for Patients With Mental Illnesses
Ascribe Newswire press release from Duke University reprinted at the NAMI web site - "The National Institute of Mental Health has awarded a Duke University Medical Center team $1.98 million in research funding to study the use and effectiveness of "psychiatric advance directives [PADs]" -- legal documents created by patients who have planned ahead for their preferred course of treatment during a mental health crisis. This is the first major study funded by the U.S. government to evaluate PADs from initiation to outcomes, said the researchers. Despite the spread of laws that authorize the use of advance directives in the care of patients with mental illnesses, little research has been done to determine the effectiveness of these legal instruments. Although patients in 16 states have the right to create a PAD, very few take advantage of it, according to researchers at Duke. The four-year study will examine whether psychiatric patients will complete advance directives if they are provided the resources to do so, and will also determine whether or not doctors and hospitals can effectively put the plans into action."