Age-based disparities in end-of-life decisions in Belgium: a population-based death certificate survey

BMC Public Health

Table 4 Decision making with patient, family and caregivers 2007 by ELD and age groups (weighted %)

Most important ELD	APS			APS+			NTD			NTD+			EAS			LAWER
Patient age (yrs)	−65	65-79	80+	−65	65-79	80+	−65	65-79	80+	−65	65-79	80+	−65	65-79	80+	−65	65-79	80+
N (unweighted)	288	461	500	40	71	55	93	190	285	63	121	138	51	64	27	10	28	28
discussed with patient	41	26	17	70	47	19	25	24	17	27	24	24	100	100	100	33	24	19
discussed and explicit request by patient	29	19	11	57	30	15	11	10	10	14	10	15	100	100	100	0	0	0
not discussed with patient	59	74	84	30	53	81	75	76	83	73	76	76	0	0	0	67	76	81
not discussed and patient not competent	42	58	75	20	45	70	66	73	79	66	75	74	-	-	-	60	65	74
not discussed but wish stated by patient	8	12	15	5	20	11	9	15	21	9	20	20	-	-	-	17	23	47
discussed with family	54	60	53	65	72	73	33	36	40	79	73	74	78	81	64	67	76	83
discussed with colleague(s)	43	37	31	57	54	38	63	57	41	76	63	49	85	83	53	67	64	53
discussed with PC specialist	24	27	17	46	44	16	8	15	18	11	20	23	54	60	21	50	12	12
discussed with nurse(s)	28	43	37	44	58	46	42	40	46	44	46	53	58	61	29	50	56	27

Percentages in bold indicate statistically significant differences between age groups after bivariate logistic regression, p < .05.
Underlined percentages indicate statistically significant differences between age groups after multivariate logistic regression controlling for confounders (sex, marital status, cause of death, place of death - no interaction effects; educational attainment not featured in multivariate model due to the large number of missings), p < .05.
ELD: end-of-life decision; APS: intensified alleviation of pain and other symptoms; APS+: intensified alleviation of pain and other symptoms co-intending life shortening; NTD: non-treatment decisions; NTD+: non-treatment decisions explicitly intending life shortening; EAS: euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide; LAWER: life ending acts without explicit patient request.

ISSN: 1471-2458