Palliative care service use in four European countries: a cross-national retrospective study via representative networks of general practitioners

Background: Due to a rising number of deaths from cancer and other chronic diseases a growing number of people experience complex symptoms and require palliative care towards the end of life. However, population-based data on the number of people receiving palliative care in Europe are scarce. The objective of this study is to examine, in four European countries, the number of people receiving palliative care in the last three months of life and the factors associated with receiving palliative care. Methods: Cross-national retrospective study. Over two years (2009-2010), GPs belonging to repre... Mehr ...