Palliative Care in the Ageing European Population: A Cross-Country Comparison

Giovanni Cerullo, Teodora Figueiredo, Constantino Coelho, Cláudia Silva Campos, António Videira-Silva, Joana Carrilho, Luís Midão and Elísio Costa ()
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Giovanni Cerullo: Palliative Care, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve, 8000-386 Algarve, Portugal
Teodora Figueiredo: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Constantino Coelho: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Cláudia Silva Campos: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
António Videira-Silva: Pediatric University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
Joana Carrilho: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Luís Midão: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Elísio Costa: CINTESIS@RISE, Biochemistry Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 1, 1-23

Abstract: With Europe’s ageing population and rising demand for palliative care, it is crucial to examine the use of palliative care among older adults during their last years of life and understand the factors influencing their access and end-of-life circumstances. This study employed a cohort of SHARE participants aged 65 years or older who had passed away between Wave 6 (2015) and Wave 7 (2017). Information on death circumstances, palliative care utilization, and associated variables were analysed. The study revealed that nearly 13.0% of individuals across these countries died under palliative care, with Slovenia having the lowest rate (0.3%) and France the highest (30.4%). Palliative care utilization in the last 30 days before death was observed in over 24.0% of participants, with the Czech Republic having the lowest rate (5.0%) and Greece the highest (48.8%). A higher risk of using or dying in palliative care was significantly associated with cognitive impairment (low verbal fluency), physical inactivity, and good to excellent self-perceived health. This work highlights the urgent need for enhanced global access to palliative care and advocates for the cross-country comparison of effective practices within Europe, tailored to the unique healthcare needs of older adults.

Keywords: palliative care; end of life; older adults; SHARE; healthcare disparities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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