Mapping levels of palliative care development: a global update

Lynch, T., Connor, S. and Clark, D. (2013) Mapping levels of palliative care development: a global update. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 45(6), pp. 1094-1106. (doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.05.011)

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Abstract

Our purpose is to categorize palliative care development, country-by-country, throughout the world, showing changes over time. We adopt a multi-method approach. Development is categorized using a six-part typology: Group 1 (no known hospice-palliative care activity) and Group 2 (capacity-building activity) are the same as developed during a previous study (2006), but Groups 3 and 4 have been subdivided to produce two additional levels of categorization: 3a) Isolated palliative care provision, 3b) Generalized palliative care provision, 4a) Countries where hospice-palliative care services are at a stage of preliminary integration into mainstream service provision, and 4b) Countries where hospice-palliative care services are at a stage of advanced integration into mainstream service provision. In 2011, 136 of the world's 234 countries (58%) had at least one palliative care service—an increase of 21 (+9%) from 2006, with the most significant gains having been made in Africa. Advanced integration of palliative care has been achieved in only 20 countries (8.5%). Total countries in each category are as follows: Group 1, 75 (32%); Group 2, 23 (10%); Group 3a, 74 (31.6%); Group 3b, 17 (7.3%); Group 4a, 25 (10.7%); and Group 4b, 20 (8.5%). Ratio of services to population among Group 4a/4b countries ranges from 1:34,000 (in Austria) to 1:8.5 million (in China); among Group 3a/3b countries from 1:1000 (in Niue) to 1:90 million (in Pakistan). Although more than half of the world's countries have a palliative care service, many countries still have no provision, and major increases are needed before palliative care is generally accessible worldwide.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Clark, Professor David
Authors: Lynch, T., Connor, S., and Clark, D.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability
Journal Name:Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0885-3924
ISSN (Online):1873-6513
Published Online:26 September 2012

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