Sociodemographic and clinical factors for non-hospital deaths among cancer patients: A nationwide population-based cohort study.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Factors associated with place of death inform policies with respect to allocating end-of-life care resources and tailoring supportive measures. OBJECTIVE:To determine factors associated with non-hospital deaths among cancer patients. DESIGN:Retrospective cohort study of cancer decedents, examining factors associated with non-hospital deaths using multinomial logistic regression with hospital deaths as the reference category. SETTING/SUBJECTS:Cancer patients (n = 15254) in Singapore who died during the study period from January 1, 2012 till December 31, 2105 at home, acute hospital, long-term care (LTC) or hospice were included. RESULTS:Increasing age (categories ?65 years: RRR 1.25-2.61), female (RRR 1.40; 95% CI 1.28-1.52), Malays (RRR 1.67; 95% CI 1.47-1.89), Brain malignancy (RRR 1.92; 95% CI 1.15-3.23), metastatic disease (RRR 1.33-2.01) and home palliative care (RRR 2.11; 95% CI 1.95-2.29) were associated with higher risk of home deaths. Patients with low socioeconomic status were more likely to have hospice or LTC deaths: those living in smaller housing types had higher risk of dying in hospice (1-4 rooms apartment: RRR 1.13-3.17) or LTC (1-5 rooms apartment: RRR 1.36-4.11); and those with Medifund usage had higher risk of dying in LTC (RRR 1.74; 95% CI 1.36-2.21). Patients with haematological malignancies had increased risk of dying in hospital (categories of haematological subtypes: RRR 0.06-0.87). CONCLUSIONS:We found key sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with non-hospital deaths in cancer patients. More can be done to enable patients to die in the community and with dignity rather than in a hospital.
SUBMITTER: Zhuang Q
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7179880 | biostudies-literature | 2020
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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