Journal of palliative medicine
-
The majority of hospital deaths in the United States occur after ICU admission. The characteristics associated with the place of death within the hospital are not known for patients with cancer. ⋯ Understanding existing patterns of care at the end of life will help guide decisions about resource allocation and palliative care programs. Patients who seek care at dedicated cancer centers may elect more aggressive care; thus the generalizability of this study is limited. Although dying in a hospital may be unavoidable for patients who have uncontrolled symptoms that cannot be managed at home, palliative care consultations with patients and their families in advance regarding end-of-life preferences may prevent unwanted admission to the ICU.
-
End-of-life decisions (ELDs) have been investigated in several care settings, but rarely in pediatric oncology. ⋯ In two-thirds of cases, ELDs preceded the death of a child with cancer. This is the first study providing insights into the characteristics of ELDs from a pediatric oncologist's point of view.