Medical care
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Comparative Study
Dying of cancer. The place of death and family circumstances.
Malignant neoplasms confer a special significance to the relationship between terminally ill patients and their immediate environment and directly influence the patient's place of death. This study analyzed the factors that influenced the place of death of cancer patients in Majorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). A survey was carried out among 335 surviving relatives who acted as primary care-givers. ⋯ The opinions of those interviewed, the majority of whom were women (female/male ratio, 3.5:1), as to the admission and discharge of the deceased from the hospital and the impact on the family of the patient's death were analyzed. There were marked differences in the overall perception of the terminal phase of illness in hospital-centered and home-centered groups. The relatives of those who died at home were significantly less distressed.