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Table 2 ELD prevalence by educational attainment, non-sudden deaths*

From: Is educational attainment related to end-of-life decision-making? A large post-mortem survey in Belgium

 

Educational attainment

    
  

Higher

 

Multivariate

 

None/

Lower

secondary/

 

OR (95% CI)

OR (95% CI)

p-value

primary

secondary

Higher

χ2

Lower secondary

Higher (secondary)

n = 877

n = 530

n = 544

p-value

vs. none/primary

vs. none/primary

APS-

39.8

43.2

40.6

.486

1.01 (0.79-1.29)

1.00 (0.77-1.29)

.996

APS+

7.6

13.2

12.7

.001

1.74 (1.20-2.53)

1.52 (1.01-2.28)

.012

NTD-

48.7

49.6

57.4

.009

1.08 (0.85-1.36)

1.45 (1.13-1.86)

.013

NTD+

15.3

17.5

18.1

.336

1.25 (0.91-1.71)

1.32 (0.94-1.83)

.204

EAS

1.6

3.8

3.9

.016

2.36 (1.07-5.19)

1.88 (0.83-4.26)

.103

…requested

3.3

6.2

5.4

.034

1.58 (0.89-2.78)

1.40 (0.77-2.53)

.280

…(granted)

(49)

(62)

(72)

.246

2.86 (0.78-10.8)

1.70 (0.47-6.21)

.284

LAWER

2.8

3.0

2.2

.749

0.96 (0.48-1.95)

0.90 (0.41-1.98)

.966

  1. *Figures are percentages adjusted for age and sex, with all non-sudden deaths as standard population, and weighted for representativeness.
  2. More than one end-of-life decision possible for one case.
  3. The p-values in italic indicate significant differences between educational level groups (p < .05, no Bonferoni correction). Variables entered in multivariate logistic regression model: educational attainment, age, sex, marital status, cause of death; no interaction effects.
  4. ELD: end-of-life decision; APS-: intensified alleviation of pain and symptoms taking possible life-shortening into account; APS+: APS with life-shortening co-intended; NTD-: non-treatment decision taking possible life-shortening into account; NTD+: NTD with life-shortening explicitly intended; EAS: euthanasia/assisted suicide; LAWER: life-ending acts without explicit patient request.
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BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

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