A survey of attitudes and knowledge about advance healthcare directives amongst inpatient psychiatry service users in Ireland

There are high levels of interest in advance healthcare directives, but low levels of knowledge and use among inpatient psychiatry service users in Ireland. Our findings indicate a need for educational initiatives and resources to increase awareness. Such efforts could usefully focus especially on appropriate use of advance healthcare directives in psychiatric care and seek to bridge the gaps between evidence of benefit, legislative reform, and their use in mental healthcare.