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Table 2 Summary of the study design

From: A post-mortem survey on end-of-life decisions using a representative sample of death certificates in Flanders, Belgium: research protocol

DEATH CERTIFICATE SURVEY

   ✓ large sample of deaths

   ✓ nationwide (over care settings and causes of death)

   ✓ stratified disproportionately based on cause of death

QUESTIONNAIRE

   ✓ short and validated questionnaire

   ✓ key questions of ELDs identical to those in earlier studies

   ✓ emotionally charged terms absent in key questions

MAILING PROCEDURE

   ✓ guarantee of anonymity for physicians and patients

   ✓ response-increasing measures

   ✓ intensive follow-up mailing