Facts about Death

I've been researching death and have found the following statistics to be of interest:

• The US Supreme Court agreed that Americans should expect palliative care, which combines active and compassionate therapies to support people as they near the end of life. This usually involves avoiding burdensome pain and avoiding invasive technologies.
• Most deaths (70%) occur in people aged 65 and older.
• Most Americans die in hospitals (63%)
• 17% of Americans die in institutional settings such as long-term care facilities (Foley, 1995; Isaacs & Knickman, 1997)
• Most people receive a hospice referral too late which results in them not receiving the most benefit possible from this specialized care. 
• Two-thirds of elderly patients have pain in the last month of life (Foley, 1995).
• One-third of elderly patients experienced unnecessary pain during the 24 hours before their death, according to caregivers.
• Although palliative care could relieve most pain and suffering, patients typically spend eight days in an intensive care unit comatose or on a ventilator before they die.
• 30% of patients spend at least 10 days in intensive care before they die. (Isaacs & Knickman, 1997)
• On average, physicians discuss end-of-life issues with patients for five to six minutes on average, talk two-thirds of the time and do not consider the patient's values or preferences. (Tulsky, Fischer, Rose & Arnold, 1998)
• Most patients report wanting their families to make end-of-life decisions for them in the event they are too sick to do so themselves. 
• 41% of patients want physicians to make end-of-life choices without consulting them.
• Caucasians and Asians use advance directives more than other ethnic groups. 
• Advance planning for health care helps people determine their own futures. 
• The Patient Self Determination Act (PSDA) requires health care providers to document advance directives and educate patients about their rights to accept or refuse treatment.

Sources:

Isaacs, S.L. & Knickman, J.R (1997). To improve health and health care. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Foley, K.M., (1995). Pain, Physician assisted dying and euthanasia. Pain 4, 163-178.

Tulsky, J.A., Fischer, G.S., Rose, M.R., & Arnold, R.M. (1998). How do physicians communicate about advance directives.Annals of Internal Medicine, 129, 441-449.