• Libraries
    • Log in to:
    View Item 
    •   MSpace Home
    • University of Manitoba Researchers
    • University of Manitoba Scholarship
    • View Item
    •   MSpace Home
    • University of Manitoba Researchers
    • University of Manitoba Scholarship
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Where would Canadians prefer to die? Variation by situational severity, support for family obligations, and age in a national study

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    12904_2022_Article_1023.pdf (1.156Mb)
    Date
    2022-08-01
    Author
    Funk, Laura M.
    Mackenzie, Corey S.
    Cherba, Maria
    Del Rosario, Nicole
    Krawczyk, Marian
    Rounce, Andrea
    Stajduhar, Kelli
    Cohen, S. R.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Abstract Background Death at home has been identified as a key quality indicator for Canadian health care systems and is often assumed to reflect the wishes of the entire Canadian public. Although research in other countries has begun to question this assumption, there is a dearth of rigorous evidence of a national scope in Canada. This study addresses this gap and extends it by exploring three factors that moderate preferences for setting of death: situational severity (entailing both symptoms and supports), perceptions of family obligation, and respondent age. Methods Two thousand five hundred adult respondents from the general population were recruited using online panels between August 2019 and January 2020. The online survey included three vignettes, representing distinct dying scenarios which increased in severity based on symptom management alongside availability of formal and informal support. Following each vignette respondents rated their preference for each setting of death (home, acute/intensive care, palliative care unit, nursing home) for that scenario. They also provided sociodemographic information and completed a measure of beliefs about family obligations for end-of-life care. Results Home was the clearly preferred setting only for respondents in the mild severity scenario. As the dying scenario worsened, preferences fell for home death and increased for the other options, such that in the severe scenario, most respondents preferred a palliative care or hospice setting. This pattern was particularly distinct among respondents who also were less supportive of family obligation norms, and for adults 65 years of age and older. Conclusions Home is not universally the preferred setting for dying. The public, especially older persons and those expressing lower expectations of families in general, express greater preference for palliative care settings in situations where they might have less family or formal supports accompanied by more severe and uncontrolled symptoms. Findings suggest a) the need for public policy and health system quality indicators to reflect the nuances of public preferences, b) the need for adequate investment in hospices and palliative care settings, and c) continuing efforts to ensure that home-based formal services are available to help people manage symptoms and meet their preferences for setting of death.
    URI
    https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01023-1
    http://hdl.handle.net/1993/36648
    Collections
    • Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Scholarly Works [1296]
    • University of Manitoba Scholarship [1981]

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of MSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Login

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV