Dying at home or in an institution: perspectives of Dutch physicians and bereaved relatives

Introduction Previous studies have shown that most people prefer to die at their own home. We investigated whether physicians or bereaved relatives in retrospect differently appreciate the dying of patients in an institution or at home. Materials and methods Of 128 patients with incurable cancer who were followed in the last phase of their lives, 103 passed away during follow-up. After death, physicians filled out a written questionnaire for 102 of these patients, and 63 bereaved relatives were personally interviewed. Results Of 103 patients, 49 died in an institution (mostly a hospital), and... Mehr ...