End-of-life decision-making in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland: does place of death make a difference?

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine differences in end-of-life decision-making in patients dying at home, in a hospital or in a care home.

Design

A death certificate study: certifying physicians from representative samples of death certificates, taken between June 2001 and February 2002, were sent questionnaires on the end-of-life decision-making preceding the patient's death.

Setting

Four European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland (German-speaking part).

Main outcome measures

The incidence of and communication in different end-of-life decisions: physician-assisted death, alleviation of pain/symptoms with a possible life-shortening effect, and non-treatment decisions.

Results

Response rates ranged from 59% in Belgium to 69% in Switzerland.

SUBMITTER: Cohen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2465676 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature