General Practice Observed: The Distress of Dying

A simple method of recording the distress of dying patients is described. Significant differences occurred between deaths at home and in hospital for three factors. Patients dying at home were ( a ) more likely to be fully alert shortly before death (P < 0·05); ( b ) less likely to be suffering from vomiting, incontinence, or bedsores (P < 0·001); and ( c ) less likely to have unrelieved physical distress (P < 0·05). No significant differences occurred in the distress of patients dying in general-practitioner compared with other hospitals, though the numbers compared were small and a larger study might prove useful.