Dataset Information

Palliative inpatients in general hospitals: a one day observational study in Belgium.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hospital care plays a major role at the end-of-life. But little is known about the overall size and characteristics of the palliative inpatient population. The aim of our study was to analyse these aspects.

Methods

We conducted a one-day observational study in 14 randomly selected Belgian hospitals. Patients who met the definition of palliative patients were identified as palliative. Then, information about their socio-demographic characteristics, diagnoses, prognosis, and care plan were recorded and analysed.

Results

There were 2639 in-patients on the day of the study; 9.4% of them were identified as "palliative". The mean age of the group was 72 years. The primary diagnosis was cancer in 51% of patients and the estimated life expectancy was shorter than 3 months in 33% of patients and longer than 1 year in 28% of patients. The professional caregivers expected for most of the patients (73%), that the treatment would improve patient comfort rather than prolong life. Antibiotics, transfusions, treatments specific to the pathology, and artificial nutrition were administered in 90%, 78%, 57% and 50% of the patients, respectively, but were generally given with a view to controlling the symptoms.

Conclusions

This analysis presents a first national estimate of the palliative inpatient population. Our results confirm that hospitals play a major role at the end-of-life, with one out of ten inpatients identified as a "palliative" patient. These data also demonstrate the complexity of the palliative population and the substantial diversity of care that they can require.

SUBMITTER: Desmedt MS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3052175 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Palliative inpatients in general hospitals: a one day observational study in Belgium.

Desmedt Marianne S MS de la Kethulle Yolande L YL Deveugele Myriam I MI Keirse Emmanuel A EA Paulus Dominique J DJ Menten Johan J JJ Simoens Steven R SR Vanden Berghe Paul J PJ Beguin Claire M CM

BMC palliative care 20110302

<h4>Background</h4>Hospital care plays a major role at the end-of-life. But little is known about the overall size and characteristics of the palliative inpatient population. The aim of our study was to analyse these aspects.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a one-day observational study in 14 randomly selected Belgian hospitals. Patients who met the definition of palliative patients were identified as palliative. Then, information about their socio-demographic characteristics, diagnoses, prognosis, ...[more]

PMID: 21362204

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Dataset Information

Palliative inpatients in general hospitals: a one day observational study in Belgium.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Palliative inpatients in general hospitals: a one day observational study in Belgium.

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