Publicaties

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe end-of-life treatment decisions for patients dying with dementia in various stages of dementia in long-term care facilities in the Netherlands with elderly care physicians responsible for treatment and care.

METHODS: We present data collected in the nationally representative Dutch End of Life in Dementia study (2007-2011). Within 2 weeks after death, 103 physicians completed questionnaires ...

Aims: To assess the impact of an oral healthcare program in nursing homes on the initial treatment backlog and residents' oral health stability. Materials and methods: The study is a longitudinal cohort study in nursing home residents in Flanders, Belgium, to evaluate the oral healthcare programme Gerodent. The program consisted of: (1) the introduction of an oral healthcare team, (2) oral health education, (3) the implementation of oral ...

OBJECTIVES: To examine the predictors associated with quality of life of nursing home residents with dementia, in order to identify which predictors are most important and hold most promise for future intervention studies.

METHODS/DESIGN: This cross-sectional analysis of data collected in two intervention trials included 143 participants with moderate to severe dementia who resided in 40 psychogeriatric wards in 13 nursing homes. The ...

Despite the recommendation of the Dutch association of nursing home physicians (NVVA) to be immunized against influenza, vaccine uptake among HCWs in nursing homes remains unacceptably low. Therefore we conducted a cluster randomised controlled trial among 33 Dutch nursing homes to assess the effects of a systematically developed multi-faceted intervention program on influenza vaccine uptake among HCWs. The intervention program resulted in a ...

Although health care workers (HCWs) have been recommended to be immunized against influenza, vaccine uptake remains low. So far, research on determinants of influenza vaccination among HCWs has been limited by design, population or theoretical framework. Therefore we conducted a questionnaire study in Dutch nursing homes to assess which demographical, behavioural and organisational determinants were associated with influenza vaccine uptake ...

Background: In the last year of life, many older people rather avoid admissions to inpatient care facilities. We describe and compare such admissions in the last year of life of 5092 community-dwelling older people in 15 European countries (+Israel).

Methods: Proxy-respondents of the older people, who participated in the longitudinal SHARE study, reported on admissions to inpatient care facilities (hospital, nursing home or hospice) ...

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have suggested that accelerated surgery is associated with improved outcomes in patients with a hip fracture. The HIP ATTACK trial assessed whether accelerated surgery could reduce mortality and major complications.

METHODS: HIP ATTACK was an international, randomised, controlled trial done at 69 hospitals in 17 countries. Patients with a hip fracture that required surgery and were aged 45 years or ...

BACKGROUND: Patients hospitalized with influenza may require extended care on discharge. We aimed to explore predictors for extended care needs and the potential mitigating effect of antiviral treatment among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 years hospitalized with influenza.

METHODS: We used laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations from 3 influenza seasons. Extended care was defined as new placement in a skilled nursing ...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer are leading causes of death with comparable symptoms at the end of life. Cross-national comparisons of place of death, as an important outcome of terminal care, between people dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer have not been studied before. We collected population death certificate data from 14 countries (year: 2008), covering place of death, underlying cause ...

BACKGROUND: To implement the appropriate services and develop adequate interventions, detailed estimates of the needs for palliative care in the population are needed.

AIM: To estimate the proportion of decedents potentially in need of palliative care across 12 European and non-European countries.

DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study using death certificate data.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: All adults (⩾18 years) who died ...