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A quasi-experimental controlled evaluation of the impact of a hospice rapid response community service for end-of-life care on achievement of preferred place of death

Holdsworth, Laura M., Gage, Heather, Coulton, Simon, King, Annette, Butler, Claire (2015) A quasi-experimental controlled evaluation of the impact of a hospice rapid response community service for end-of-life care on achievement of preferred place of death. Palliative Medicine, 29 (9). pp. 817-825. ISSN 0269-2163. E-ISSN 1477-030X. (doi:10.1177/0269216315582124) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:47994)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216315582124

Abstract

Background: Rapid response services operating 24?h a day have been advocated in UK health policy to support dying patients at home, though there is limited evidence of their effectiveness.

Aim: To assess the impact of a rapid response hospice at home service (intervention) on people dying in their preferred place, and carer quality of life, compared to usual care (control).

Design: Quasi-experimental multi-centred controlled evaluation. Patient data were collected from hospice records; carers completed postal questionnaires to report quality of life, anxiety and depression.

Setting and participants: Community served by one hospice (three contiguous sites) in South East England; 953 patients who died with a preferred place of death recorded and 64 carers who completed questionnaires.

Results: There was no significant difference between control and intervention groups in proportions achieving preferred place of death (61.9% vs 63.0% (odds ratio: 0.949; 95% confidence interval: 0.788–1.142)). People living at home alone were less likely to die where they wanted (0.541; 95% confidence interval: 0.438–0.667). Carers in the intervention group reported worse mental health component summary scores (short form-12, p?=?0.03) than those in the control group; there were no differences in other carer outcomes.

Conclusion: The addition of a rapid response hospice at home service did not have a significant impact on helping patients to die where they wanted in an area already well served by community palliative care. Recording preferences, and changes over time, is difficult and presented challenges for this study.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/0269216315582124
Uncontrolled keywords: Rapid response, hospice at home, health services, research, home care services, palliative care, patient preference
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Depositing User: Simon Coulton
Date Deposited: 17 Apr 2015 11:02 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 10:58 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/47994 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)
Coulton, Simon: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7704-3274
King, Annette: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0474-3819
Butler, Claire: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9501-2861
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