Better countries to die

• April 19, 2024

All human beings wish die with the minimum pain Y accompanied by someone who looks after our well-being in the last moments of life. Unfortunately, this desire, which should be a right, is not always fulfilled.

This is revealed by an investigation carried out by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in 40 countries of medium and high development, which establishes a "death quality index" , which classifies the countries studied according to their provision of palliative care, access to analgesic treatments, public policies and funds for the terminally ill, as well as individual and community perceptions of death. According to the study, England is the best country in the world to die, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Belgium. On the contrary, within the countries analyzed, the last places are occupied by Mexico, China, Brazil, Uganda and India. Brazil and Mexico They were the only Latin American countries that participated in the research.

Home care

Almost half of the advanced patients who are treated, experience a decrease in anxiety, depression and insomnia. It also improves their ability to relate and their degree of acceptance of the disease. The average length of assistance of the teams is three weeks.

A recent study published in the journal "Palliative Medicine"and elaborated by researchers from the Palliative Care Unit of the La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, delves into the benefits of home as a place to carry out palliative cures.It was concluded that, in some cases, it may be healthier for the patient if He has family support and the necessary resources are available for his attention.

The key is that the treatment to fight pain can be carried out with the same levels of safety and efficacy as in the health center. In addition to the comfort provided by the home itself, fewer adverse symptoms are also developed compared to inpatients.

On the other hand, providing palliative care at home would also reduce important health expenses: 90% of health spending on cancer goes to care for the last six months of life, according to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology.

Situation of palliative care in Spain

According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in Spain 384 thousand people die each year. Of these, 150 thousand die as a result of different types of cancer and degenerative diseases and therefore require specialized palliative care. However, only 40 thousand people receive them. On the other hand, it is estimated that of all patients treated in palliative care, about 40% remain at home during treatment and 60% go to the hospital. The average time in which this attention is required ranges from three to six months.

Video Medicine: 10 Countries That May Not Survive The Next 20 Years (April 2024).