Where Do Cancer Patients in Receipt of Home-Based Palliative Care Prefer to Die and What Are the Determinants of a Preference for a Home Death?

Jiaoli Cai, Li Zhang, Denise Guerriere, Hongli Fan and Peter C. Coyte
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Jiaoli Cai: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, No. 3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100044, China
Li Zhang: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, No. 3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100044, China
Denise Guerriere: Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Health Sciences Building, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON M5T 3M6, Canada
Hongli Fan: School of Insurance, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, No. 40 Shungeng Road, Shizhong District, Jinan 250000, China
Peter C. Coyte: Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Health Sciences Building, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON M5T 3M6, Canada

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Understanding the preferred place of death may assist to organize and deliver palliative health care services. The study aims to assess preference for place of death among cancer patients in receipt of home-based palliative care, and to determine the variables that affect their preference for a home death. A prospective cohort design was carried out from July 2010 to August 2012. Over the course of their palliative care trajectory, a total of 303 family caregivers of cancer patients were interviewed. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to assess the determinants of a preferred home death. The majority (65%) of patients had a preference of home death. The intensity of home-based physician visits and home-based personal support worker (PSW) care promotes a preference for a home death. Married patients, patients receiving post-graduate education and patients with higher Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) scores were more likely to have a preference of home death. Patients reduced the likelihood of preferring a home death when their family caregiver had high burden. This study suggests that the majority of cancer patients have a preference of home death. Health mangers and policy makers have the potential to develop policies that facilitate those preferences.

Keywords: cancer; home-based care; palliative care; preference for place of death; home care services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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