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Empirical Findings

Barbara Stanley, PhD; Jeannine Guido, MA; Michael Stanley, PhD; DiAnn Shortell

JAMA. 1984;252(10):1302-1306.

Abstract
Informed consent with the elderly patient and the competency of this patient population have been neglected issues in medicine and law. Particularly, the competency of the elderly patient has received little empirical investigation. The present study examines the capacity of geriatric patients to consent to research participation. Competency is investigated through the use of hypothetical consent information on three dimensions: comprehension of consent material, quality of reasoning about the decision to participate or not participate in research, and reasonable choice regarding participation. The results indicate that elderly patients' choices about those projects in which participation is "reasonable" do not differ, by and large, from younger patients. However, the elderly show significantly poorer comprehension of consent information. Thus, screening for competency and providing special instructions may become an important part of the research process when the elderly are participants.

(JAMA 1984;252:1302-1306)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Psychiatry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit (Drs B. Stanley and M. Stanley and Ms Guido), and the Hillside Division of Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center, Glen Oaks, NY (Ms Shortell).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 951 E Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48207 (Dr B. Stanley).

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