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Zorg en besluitvorming rond het levenseinde: opvattingen en ervaringen van het algemene publiek, nabestaanden en professionals = End of life care and decision making: opinions and experiences of the general public, bereaved relatives, and professiona...

Raijmakers, N.J.H. Zorg en besluitvorming rond het levenseinde: opvattingen en ervaringen van het algemene publiek, nabestaanden en professionals = End of life care and decision making: opinions and experiences of the general public, bereaved relatives, and professionals. Rotterdam: Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, 2013. 175 p. Proefschrift Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.
End-of-life care aims to improve quality of life of patients and their relatives facing problems associated with life-threatening illness in the last days of life. End-of-life decision-making is an important aspect of end-of-life care that can have a significant impact on the process of dying and dying patients’ comfort in the last days of life.

Moreover, end-of-life decisions are known to occur in 23-51% of all deaths in Europe. End-of-life decisions are subject to societal debate. Better understanding of current public opinion on end-of-life decisions can strengthen the societal debate in the Netherlands. End-of-life decision-making regarding artificial nutrition and hydration at the end of life is internationally shared to be important and better understanding can contribute to better end-of-life care.

The aim of this thesis was to contribute to better understanding of end-of-life decision-making practices.
Two topics were addressed:
- public opinion on end-of-life decision-making in the Netherlands, and
- (artificial) nutrition and hydration at the end of life