Congruence between preferred and actual place of death and its association with patients quality of death and dying: A nationwide survey in Japan

BackgroundSatisfying patients preferences is an important outcome in palliative care. Previous research has reported that a patients place of death was associated with quality of death and dying. PurposeThis study aimed to assess factors associated with congruence between a patients preferred and actual place of death and their quality of death and dying, as perceived by their family caregivers. MethodData were obtained from a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey of bereaved family caregivers of patients with cancer in Japan. A total of 13,711 family caregivers participated. We evaluated the quality of death and dying using the Good Death Inventory. ResultsPatients who died in their preferred place were categorized as the "achieved group," whereas patients who died in a place that they did not prefer were classified as the "not-achieved group." Survey scores were significantly higher for the achieved group compared with the not-achieved group (48.8{+/-}10.1 and 44.0{+/-}9.5, respectively; p <0.001). A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that congruence between preferred and actual place of death was an independent determinant of good quality of death and dying (p <0.001). ConclusionCongruence between a patients preferred and actual place of death may contribute to better quality of death and dying among terminally ill patients with cancer. Congruence between preferred and actual place of death should be regarded as an essential goal in end-of-life care.