Abstract
Background: Advance care planning research has often focused on those experiencing deteriorating health. There is limited research regarding attitudes to early advance care planning amongst people living with long-term conditions without advanced illness or severe frailty. Aim: To explore how people living with a non-cancer long-term condition understand advance care planning; and their preferences for how, if at all, these discussions should be undertaken, including within annual health reviews. Design and Setting: Qualitative interviews with participants from general practices in village, market-town, coastal town and city settings. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews. The inclusion criteria were: over 18 years old; registered at participating practice; living with cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thematic analysis utilised a critical realist approach. Participants contributed to a member checking process. NHS ethics approval (23/PR/0078). Results: 21 participants recruited: ages 61-91 years, 8 men, and 17 participants living with multimorbidity. Participants discussed three forms of advance care planning: proactive planning, preparing for change, and discussing end-of-life. Participants described early advance care planning as less distressing. Participants perceived advance care planning as an ongoing process, with early consultations encouraging discussion of existing preferences and preparing people for future decision-making. Participants discussed how advance care planning could facilitate proactive and person-centred healthcare. Participants described the importance of normalising advance care planning. Conclusion: This study suggests that advance care planning may be well-received and could be discussed earlier with adults living with long-term conditions, before onset of advanced illness or severe frailty.
- Received June 26, 2025.
- Accepted October 8, 2025.
- Copyright © 2025, The Authors
