Age and Education Are Associated with Advance Care Planning Among Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Objective: To assess the frequency of advance care planning (ACP) and associated demographic and clinical factors among women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods: We analyzed secondary data from a longitudinal study of quality of life among women with MBC. Participants ( N = 118) were recruited from breast oncology clinics at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Participants completed surveys assessing demographic and clinical characteristics. Data on ACP completion (yes/no) were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Chi-square or t -tests assessed bivariate relationships between demographic and clinical characteristics and ACP completion. Characteristics that were significantly related ( p < 0.01) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression. Results: Only 38% (45/118) of participants had completed ACP. In multivariable analyses, older age and greater education were positively associated with ACP completion (ORage = 1.04 [1.01–1.08]; OReducation = 2.32 [1.04–5.20]). Conclusions: ACP interventions should target women with MBC who are younger and with lower levels of educational attainment.