The Japanese perception of feasibility of end-of-life home care until death and related factors

ABSTRACT

<b>Purpose</b> To clarify factors associated with the Japanese perception of whether they can live at home until death with the inclusion of knowledge and beliefs about end-of-life. <b>Methods</b> A questionnaire survey was conducted on the Japanese general population who participated in a lecture meeting about palliative home care (N=61, effective response rate, 100%). <b>Results</b> Ten (16%) responded they could live at home until death. Barriers to end-of-life home care were "Home care would burden my family (80%)," " Family and I are anxious about emergency care when I get worse (59%)" and "Family and I are anxious about whether I can enter a hospital emergently when I get worse (52%)" in that order. From the multivariate logistic regression model, respondents who expressed "Opioids cause addiction (OR, 95% confidential interval (CI)0.29, 0.09-0.99)" and "Artificial hydration and nutrition should be continued as the minimum standard until death (OR, 95%CI0.39, 0.16-0.95)" were more likely to perceive that they could live at home until death. <b>Conclusion</b> The empowerment activity for the general population regarding correct knowledge about palliative care, benefit and disadvantage of life-sustaining treatment, and correct knowledge about home care is important for the end-of-life patients who want to live at home until death to achieve their wish.