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Transitions between health care settings in the final three months of life in four EU countries.
Block, L. van den, Pivodic, L., Pardon, K., Donker, G., Miccinesi, G., Moreels, S., Vega Alonso, T., Deliens, L., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. Transitions between health care settings in the final three months of life in four EU countries. European Journal of Public Health: 2015, 25(4), p. 569-575.
Background
Transitions between care settings may be related to poor quality in end-of-life care. Yet there is a lack of cross-national population-based data on transitions at the end of life.
Method
International mortality follow-back study with data collection in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain (2009–11) via existing representative epidemiological surveillance networks of general practitioners (GPs). All general practitioners reported weekly, on a standardized registration form, every deceased patient (≥18 years) in their practice and identified those who died ‘non-suddenly’.
Results
Among 4791 non-sudden deaths in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, 59%, 55%, 60% and 58%, respectively, were transferred between care settings at least once in the final 3 months of life (10%, 8%, 10% and 13% in final 3 days of life); 10%, 5%, 8% and 12% were transferred three times or more (P < 0.001 in multivariate analyses adjusting for country differences in age, sex, cause of death, presence of dementia). In all countries, transitions were more frequent among patients residing at home (61–73%) than among patients residing in a care home (33–40%). Three months before death 5–7% of patients were in hospital, and this rose to 27–39% on the day of death. Patient wishes were cited as the reason for the last transition before death in 27%, 39%, 9% and 6% of cases in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, respectively (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
End-of-life transitions between health care settings are common across EU countries, in particular late hospitalizations for people residing at home. Frequency, type and reasons for terminal hospitalizations vary between countries. (aut. ref.)
Transitions between care settings may be related to poor quality in end-of-life care. Yet there is a lack of cross-national population-based data on transitions at the end of life.
Method
International mortality follow-back study with data collection in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain (2009–11) via existing representative epidemiological surveillance networks of general practitioners (GPs). All general practitioners reported weekly, on a standardized registration form, every deceased patient (≥18 years) in their practice and identified those who died ‘non-suddenly’.
Results
Among 4791 non-sudden deaths in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, 59%, 55%, 60% and 58%, respectively, were transferred between care settings at least once in the final 3 months of life (10%, 8%, 10% and 13% in final 3 days of life); 10%, 5%, 8% and 12% were transferred three times or more (P < 0.001 in multivariate analyses adjusting for country differences in age, sex, cause of death, presence of dementia). In all countries, transitions were more frequent among patients residing at home (61–73%) than among patients residing in a care home (33–40%). Three months before death 5–7% of patients were in hospital, and this rose to 27–39% on the day of death. Patient wishes were cited as the reason for the last transition before death in 27%, 39%, 9% and 6% of cases in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, respectively (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
End-of-life transitions between health care settings are common across EU countries, in particular late hospitalizations for people residing at home. Frequency, type and reasons for terminal hospitalizations vary between countries. (aut. ref.)
Background
Transitions between care settings may be related to poor quality in end-of-life care. Yet there is a lack of cross-national population-based data on transitions at the end of life.
Method
International mortality follow-back study with data collection in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain (2009–11) via existing representative epidemiological surveillance networks of general practitioners (GPs). All general practitioners reported weekly, on a standardized registration form, every deceased patient (≥18 years) in their practice and identified those who died ‘non-suddenly’.
Results
Among 4791 non-sudden deaths in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, 59%, 55%, 60% and 58%, respectively, were transferred between care settings at least once in the final 3 months of life (10%, 8%, 10% and 13% in final 3 days of life); 10%, 5%, 8% and 12% were transferred three times or more (P < 0.001 in multivariate analyses adjusting for country differences in age, sex, cause of death, presence of dementia). In all countries, transitions were more frequent among patients residing at home (61–73%) than among patients residing in a care home (33–40%). Three months before death 5–7% of patients were in hospital, and this rose to 27–39% on the day of death. Patient wishes were cited as the reason for the last transition before death in 27%, 39%, 9% and 6% of cases in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, respectively (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
End-of-life transitions between health care settings are common across EU countries, in particular late hospitalizations for people residing at home. Frequency, type and reasons for terminal hospitalizations vary between countries. (aut. ref.)
Transitions between care settings may be related to poor quality in end-of-life care. Yet there is a lack of cross-national population-based data on transitions at the end of life.
Method
International mortality follow-back study with data collection in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain (2009–11) via existing representative epidemiological surveillance networks of general practitioners (GPs). All general practitioners reported weekly, on a standardized registration form, every deceased patient (≥18 years) in their practice and identified those who died ‘non-suddenly’.
Results
Among 4791 non-sudden deaths in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, 59%, 55%, 60% and 58%, respectively, were transferred between care settings at least once in the final 3 months of life (10%, 8%, 10% and 13% in final 3 days of life); 10%, 5%, 8% and 12% were transferred three times or more (P < 0.001 in multivariate analyses adjusting for country differences in age, sex, cause of death, presence of dementia). In all countries, transitions were more frequent among patients residing at home (61–73%) than among patients residing in a care home (33–40%). Three months before death 5–7% of patients were in hospital, and this rose to 27–39% on the day of death. Patient wishes were cited as the reason for the last transition before death in 27%, 39%, 9% and 6% of cases in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Spain, respectively (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
End-of-life transitions between health care settings are common across EU countries, in particular late hospitalizations for people residing at home. Frequency, type and reasons for terminal hospitalizations vary between countries. (aut. ref.)
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