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Categorie: Abstracts ELS 2006

Gepubliceerd op maandag 17 november 2008 14:10

Auteurs:
Van den Block L, Deschepper R, Drieskens K, Bauwens S, Bilsen J, Distelmans W, Van Der Kelen G, Van Casteren V, Deliens L.

Instelling:
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Departement:
Onderzoeksgroep Zorg rond het Levenseinde

Situering/Inleiding:
A challenge in end-of-life (EOL) care research today is to find ways to gather systematic information at population level i.e. across all patient populations and care settings. In this feasibility study we explore whether the sentinel network of GPs in Belgium, an epidemiological surveillance instrument operational since 1979, can be a useful tool to monitor EOL care. Willingness of sentinel GPs to participate in a registration and additional interview study on EOL care is evaluated.

Methode/Interventies:
The Belgian sentinel network is a weekly registering network of practices of community based physicians, covering 1.5% of the nationwide patient population and representative for all GPs in Belgium. It has proved to be a reliable surveillance system for health related epidemiologic data. All sentinel practices (N=202) were asked to register general characteristics for all deaths (aged 1 year or older) during 13 consecutive weeks in 2004 as well as the last death before this period. An additional registration for all non-sudden deaths in their practice concerned care received in the last three months of life. We selected 26 GPs of patients who died at home, to be contacted by telephone to evaluate their willingness to participate in an additional face-to-face semi-structured interview study.

Resultaten:
In our study 176 GP practices (87%) participated and reported 502 deaths. Sixty-six percent died non-suddenly. For these non-sudden deaths GPs were able to register the care trajectory, the delivered care and treatments, and medical end-of-life decisions. Of 26 selected GPs, 91.7% was prepared to participate in an interview study.

Besluit:
The use of existing surveillance networks can provide valuable information for EOL-care monitoring. There are several advantages: representativity, weekly registration, a high participation level, willingness to participate in an additional interview study, and moreover important data on several EOL topics. Comparable surveillance networks exist in other European countries, which provides a unique opportunity for cross-national EOL studies.

Financiering/belangenvermenging:
Research support: Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium; and Research Council of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Naam inzender:	Lieve Van den Block
Beroep:	Psycholoog
Postcode Stad/gemeente:	1090 Brussel
Land:	BELGIE
URL:	http://www.vub.ac.be/ZrL