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Table 3 Timing of GPs’ awareness that the patient would die in the foreseeable future and sources of information

From: GPs’ recognition of death in the foreseeable future and diagnosis of a fatal condition: a national survey

 

Cancer

Non-cancer

 

Time between GPs’ awareness and actual death

n = 221**

n = 68**

P-value*

 

(%)

(%)

 

Not until the last year before death (also including last six months, last month and last week)

207 (94)

65 (96)

0.770

Not until the last six months before death (including the last month and last week)

190 (86)

64 (94)

0.072

Not until the last month before death (including the last week)

66 (30)

41 (60)

<0.001

Not until the last week before death

13 (6)

18 (26)

<0.001

GPs’ awareness was based on: (more than one answer possible)

Cancer

Non-cancer

 
 

n = 225

n = 71

 
 

(%)

(%)

 

GPs’ observation of problems and/or symptoms

175 (78)

62 (87)

0.079

Information from medical specialist

120 (53)

20 (28)

<0.001

Information from home-care professionals

6 (3)

9 (13)

0.002

Information from relatives

33 (15)

19 (27)

0.020

Other

15 (7)

7 (10)

0.371

Not applicable

0 (0)

1 (1)

0.240

  1. *Chi-square analyses: statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) between cancer and non-cancer group are in bold.
  2. **8 missing values, including ‘don’t know’ answers.