Expert Survey on Coverage and Characteristics of Pediatric Palliative Care in Europe - A Focus on Home Care

Expert Survey on Coverage and Characteristics of Pediatric Palliative Care in Europe - A Focus on Home Care

Wager J; Kubek LA; Brenner M; Calmanti S; Doyle C; Lovgren M; Kreicbergs U; Kremer L; Le Moine P; Robert G; Schuiling-Otten M; Schroder-Back P; Verhagen E; Zernikow B

BMC Palliative Care

2022

Child; Europe; Health Care Surveys; Health care quality; access; and evaluation; Home Care Services; Home Care Services/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data]; Home care services; Humans; Palliative Care; Palliative Care/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data]; Palliative care; Pediatrics; Pediatrics/sn [Statistics & Numerical Data]

BACKGROUND: For children with life-limiting conditions home care is a key component of pediatric palliative care. However, poor information is available on service coverage and in particular on country-specific pediatric palliative home care characteristics. The aim of the study was therefore to describe the association between pediatric palliative care coverage and national activities and obtain detailed information on the pediatric palliative home care structure in different European countries. METHODS: Online survey with in-country experts from N = 33 European countries. RESULTS: Pediatric palliative home care (65.6%) represented the most pediatric palliative care units (15.6%) and the least common services. National documents constituted the most widespread national pediatric palliative care activity (59.4%) and were associated with available services. Pediatric palliative home care could be mostly accessed as a service free of charge to families (95.2%) from the time of a child's diagnosis (85.7%). In most countries, oncological and non-oncological patients were cared for in pediatric palliative home care. Only a minority of home care teams covered home-ventilated children. Pediatric palliative home care usually comprised medical care (81.0%), care coordination (71.4%), nursing care (75.0%) and social support (57.1%). Most countries had at least two professional groups working in home care teams (81.0%), mostly physicians and nurses. In many countries, pediatric palliative home care was not available in all regions and did not offer a 24 h-outreach service. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric palliative care provision in Europe is heterogeneous. Further work on country-specific structures is needed. Copyright © 2022. The Author(s).

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

December List 2022