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Dying in Canada: is it an institutionalized, technologically supported experience?
D K Heyland1, J V Lavery, J E Tranmer
1Department of Medicine, Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Palliative Care
|November 15, 2000
Summary
Most Canadians die in hospitals, with significant numbers in special care units. This highlights potential issues with end-of-life care quality and practices across Canada.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Preliminary evidence suggests a preference for home deaths.
- Little is known about the specific locations of death for Canadians.
- Understanding where Canadians die is crucial for improving end-of-life care and health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the proportion of deaths occurring in hospitals and special care units in Canada.
- To analyze the epidemiology of dying locations across Canadian provinces and territories.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of Canadian death records.
- Examination of hospital and special care unit death proportions.
Main Results:
- The majority of deaths in Canada occur in hospitals, ranging from 52% in the Northwest Territories to 87% in Quebec.
- 18.64% of all deaths occurred in special care units, with regional variations (7% in Northwest Territories to 25% in Manitoba).
- Deaths in special care units increased with hospital size and were higher in teaching hospitals (27%) compared to non-teaching hospitals (15%).
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of deaths in Canada occur within hospitals, particularly in special care units.
- Findings raise concerns regarding the appropriateness and quality of current end-of-life care practices in Canada.
- Further research is needed to address the observed patterns in end-of-life care locations.