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BMC Palliative Care
Published in: BMC Palliative Care 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Care | Research

The end of life experiences of people living with socio-economic deprivation in the developed world: an integrative review

Authors: Sarah P Bowers, Ming Chin, Maire O’Riordan, Emma Carduff

Published in: BMC Palliative Care | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

Those experiencing socioeconomic deprivation have poorer quality of health throughout their life course which can result in poorer quality of death – with decreased access to palliative care services, greater use of acute care, and reduced access to preferred place of care compared with patients from less deprived populations.

Aim

To summarise the current global evidence from developed countries on end-of-life experience for those living with socio-economic deprivation.

Design

Integrative review in accordance with PRISMA. A thorough search of major databases from 2010–2020, using clear definitions of end-of-life care and well-established proxy indicators of socio-economic deprivation. Empirical research describing experience of adult patients in the last year of life care were included.

Results

Forty studies were included from a total of 3508 after screening and selection. These were deemed to be of high quality; from a wide range of countries with varying healthcare systems; and encompassed all palliative care settings for patients with malignant and non-malignant diagnoses. Three global themes were identified: 1) multi-dimensional symptom burden, 2) preferences and planning and 3) health and social care interactions at the end of life.

Conclusions

Current models of healthcare services are not meeting the needs of those experiencing socioeconomic deprivation at the end-of-life. Further work is needed to understand the disparity in care, particularly around ensuring patients voices are heard and can influence service development and delivery.
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Metadata
Title
The end of life experiences of people living with socio-economic deprivation in the developed world: an integrative review
Authors
Sarah P Bowers
Ming Chin
Maire O’Riordan
Emma Carduff
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Care
Published in
BMC Palliative Care / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1472-684X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01080-6

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