PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Katherine Christensen
AU  - Ansar Haroun
AU  - Lawrence J. Schneiderman
AU  - Dilip V. Jeste
TI  - Decision-Making Capacity for Informed Consent in the Older Population
DP  - 1995 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
PG  - 353--365
VI  - 23
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jaapl.org/content/23/3/353.short
4100  - http://jaapl.org/content/23/3/353.full
SO  - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law1995 Sep 01; 23
AB  - We discuss key concepts and review 12 published research studies relevant to informed consent and decision-making capacity in the older population. The literature suggests that aging is associated with impaired decision-making capacity; the following additional factors amplify the detrimental effect of aging: lower vocabulary level, lower educational level, chronic medical illness (as in nursing home residents), and acute medical illness. Aging may be associated particularly with impaired comprehension of consent forms. We discuss guidelines for clinicians and researchers for improving the process of obtaining a truly informed consent.