Table 1. Characteristics of the patients and of the care provided per country.
| BELGIUM (N = 1036) | THE NETHERLANDS (N = 512) | ITALY (N = 1639) | SPAIN (N = 565) | ||
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | ||
| PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS | |||||
| Gender * | Female | 471 (45.6) | 235 (46.4) | 857 (52.3) | 249 (44.6) |
| Male | 563 (54.4) | 271 (53.6) | 782 (47.7) | 309 (55.4) | |
| Age at death † | 18–64 | 199 (19.4) | 113 (22.1) | 217 (13.2) | 64 (11.3) |
| 65–84 | 559 (54.4) | 280 (54.7) | 779 (47.5) | 268 (47.4) | |
| 85 and older | 269 (26.2) | 119 (23.2) | 643 (39.2) | 233 (41.2) | |
| Cause of death ‡ | Cancer | 501 (48.4) | 310 (60.8) | 767 (47.9) | 226 (40.8) |
| Cardiovascular diseases (except stroke) | 135 (13.0) | 62 (12.2) | 327 (20.4) | 105 (19.0) | |
| Respiratory diseases | 95 (9.2) | 42 (8.2) | 117 (7.3) | 59 (10.6) | |
| Neurologic diseases | 47 (4.5) | 14 (2.7) | 89 (5.6) | 29 (5.2) | |
| CVA - stroke | 57 (5.5) | 18 (3.5) | 149 (9.3) | 47 (8.5) | |
| Other | 200 (19.3) | 64 (12.5) | 151 (9.4) | 88 (15.9) | |
| Diagnosed dementia § | No | 844 (82.6) | 458 (92.7) | 1183 (73.1) | 401 (72.4) |
| Yes, mild dementia | 102 (10.0) | 22 (4.5) | 228 (14.1) | 79 (14.3) | |
| Yes, severe dementia | 76 (7.4) | 14 (2.8) | 207 (12.8) | 74 (13.4) | |
| CARE CHARACTERISTICS | |||||
| GP provided palliative care || | No | 573 (55.4) | 264 (39.7) | 725 (44.3) | 207 (38.8) |
| Yes | 462 (44.6) | 299 (60.3) | 910 (55.7) | 326 (61.2) | |
| Cure is a (very) important care goal in week 2–4 before death ¶ | 227 (24.0) | 60 (14.2) | 230 (16.5) | 85 (19.5) | |
| Prolonging life is a (very) important care goal in week 2–4 before death ** | 304 (31.9) | 90 (21.5) | 558 (39.3) | 112 (26.7) | |
| Palliation is a (very) important care goal in week 2–4 before death †† | 647 (68.5) | 374 (87.8) | 781 (60.2) | 304 (67.1) | |
*Missing values: Belgium N = 2, the Netherlands N = 6, Italy no missing values, Spain N = 7.
†
Missing values: Belgium N = 9, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain no missing values.
‡
Missing values: Belgium N = 1, the Netherlands N = 2, Italy N = 39, Spain N = 11.
§
Missing values: Belgium N = 14, the Netherlands N = 18, Italy N = 21, Spain N = 11.
||
Missing values: Belgium N = 1, the Netherlands N = 16, Italy N = 4, Spain N = 32.
¶
Missing values: Belgium N = 90, the Netherlands N = 88, Italy N = 244, Spain N = 132.
**Missing values: Belgium N = 84, the Netherlands N = 94, Italy N = 219, Spain N = 146.
††
Missing values: Belgium N = 91, the Netherlands N = 86, Italy N = 342, Spain N = 112.