Regional Variation in End-of-life Care Just Before Death Among the Oldest Old in Japan: A Descriptive Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The use of life-sustaining treatment (LST) in the final stage of life is a major policy concern due to increased costs, while its intensity does not correlate with quality. Previous reports have shown declining trends in LST use in Japan. However, regional practice variations remain unclear. This study aims to describe regional variations in LST use before death among the oldest old in Japan.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted among patients aged 85 years or older who passed away between April 2013 and March 2014. The study utilized health insurance claims from Japan's National Database (NDB) to examine the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), mechanical ventilation (MV), and admission to the acute care ward (ACW) in the last 7 days of life.

Resul

SUBMITTER: Sakai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11564063 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature