Background: It is unknown whether health-related media stories reach diverse older adults and influence advance care planning (ACP).
Objective: To determine exposure to media coverage of Terri Schiavo (TS) and its impact on ACP.
Design and participants: Descriptive study of 117 English/Spanish-speakers, aged >or=50 years (mean 61 years) from a county hospital, interviewed six months after enrollment into an advance directive study.
Measurements: We assessed whether participants had heard of TS and subject characteristics associated with exposure. We also asked whether, because of TS, subjects engaged in ACP.
Main results: Ninety-two percent reported hearing of TS. Participants with adequate literacy were more likely than those with limited literacy to report hearing of TS (100% vs. 79%, P < .001), as were participants with >or= a high school vs. < high school education (97% vs. 82%, P = .004), and English vs. Spanish-speakers (96% vs. 85%, P = .04). Because of TS, many reported clarifying their own goals of care (61%), talking to their family/friends about ACP (66%), and wanting to complete an advance directive (37%).
Conclusions: Most diverse older adults had heard of TS and reported that her story activated them to engage in ACP. Media stories may provide a powerful opportunity to engage patients in ACP and develop public health campaigns.