Publicatie
Use of palliative care services and end-of-life GP visits in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Abarshi, E., Echteld, M.A., Block, L. van den, Donker, G.A., Bossuyt, N., Meeussen, K., Bilsen, J., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B., Deliens, L. Use of palliative care services and end-of-life GP visits in the Netherlands and Belgium. Palliative Medicine: 2010, 24(4 suppl.), p. S 90. Abstract. 6th Research Congress of European Association for Palliative Care. 10-12 juni 2010, Glasgow.
Lees online
Background: At the end of life, personalised and specialised care is often required. The way care is organised in different countries may impact the frequency of its provision. However, nationwide data on their prevalence, and comparison between countries are scarce. Aim: To compare the frequency of end-of-life general practitioner (GP) visits and use of palliative care services in two European countries, and identify associated factors. Methods: In 2007, two mortality follow-back studies were conducted simultaneously in the Netherlands and Belgium, using existing sentinel GP networks and similar standardised procedures. Within the one-year period, all registered patients who died at home or in a care home were selected. Results: From the data of 543 registered patients, end-of-life GP visits are more frequent in the Netherlands than in Belgium: the mean number of GP visit in the last week of life was 5.1 vs. 3.2 (home) and 4.4 vs. 2.3 (care home). Conversely, specialised palliative care in the last three months of life is used more frequently in Belgium than in the Netherlands: 78% vs. 41% (home) and 39% vs. 5% (care homes). These differences were consistent, despite correcting for country influence. Having more frequent end-of-life GP visits at home is associated with cancer-related deaths in the Netherlands and Belgium. Conclusion: Independent of the differences in patient populations (at home and care home) between the two countries, there are more frequent end-of-life GP visits in the Netherlands, and greater utilisation of specialised palliative care services in Belgium. These findings are most likely a by-product of the way care is organised in the two countries, but this remains to be studied.(aut. ref.)
Background: At the end of life, personalised and specialised care is often required. The way care is organised in different countries may impact the frequency of its provision. However, nationwide data on their prevalence, and comparison between countries are scarce. Aim: To compare the frequency of end-of-life general practitioner (GP) visits and use of palliative care services in two European countries, and identify associated factors. Methods: In 2007, two mortality follow-back studies were conducted simultaneously in the Netherlands and Belgium, using existing sentinel GP networks and similar standardised procedures. Within the one-year period, all registered patients who died at home or in a care home were selected. Results: From the data of 543 registered patients, end-of-life GP visits are more frequent in the Netherlands than in Belgium: the mean number of GP visit in the last week of life was 5.1 vs. 3.2 (home) and 4.4 vs. 2.3 (care home). Conversely, specialised palliative care in the last three months of life is used more frequently in Belgium than in the Netherlands: 78% vs. 41% (home) and 39% vs. 5% (care homes). These differences were consistent, despite correcting for country influence. Having more frequent end-of-life GP visits at home is associated with cancer-related deaths in the Netherlands and Belgium. Conclusion: Independent of the differences in patient populations (at home and care home) between the two countries, there are more frequent end-of-life GP visits in the Netherlands, and greater utilisation of specialised palliative care services in Belgium. These findings are most likely a by-product of the way care is organised in the two countries, but this remains to be studied.(aut. ref.)
Gegevensverzameling