Advanced Directives in Palliative Care (DAVPAL) (NCT05090072) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Advanced Directives in Palliative Care (DAVPAL)
Portugal116 participantsStarted 2018-09-10
Plain-language summary
A prospective, single-blinded, controlled, and randomized trial to find if physician's use of the Portuguese Advance Directives, in palliative care, as a communication tool between patients and caregivers, improves the agreement and reliability between patients and their health surrogates, in their decisions about end-of-life care.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Adult patients with 18 years or more
* Patients referenced to the palliative care service with a chronic, progressive, and incurable disease
* Patients with the ability to comprehend, write and speak the Portuguese language
* Patients with an absence of major cognitive disorders (Portuguese validated Mini-Mental State Test score superior to 22, 25, or 27, according to patients' scholarly)
* Patients that accepted to participate in the trial
* Patients who were capable of nominate a caregiver as their surrogate in decision making
* Adult caregivers with 18 years or more
* Caregivers who were nominated by patients as their surrogate decision-maker
* Caregivers with the ability to comprehend, write and speak the Portuguese language
* Caregivers that accepted to participate in the trial
Exclusion Criteria:
* Patients or caregivers that refused to participate
* Patients with cognitive impairment
* Patients with incapacity to dialogue
* Patients who were too sick to cooperate
* Patients without a caregiver
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Agreement between patients´ and caregivers´ answers in the Advance Directives´ document
Timeframe: 1 month
2
Reliability of the results of agreement between patients´ and caregivers' answers in the Advance Directives´ document