Implications for practice and research

• The findings of this study indicate that discussions about the patient's and relatives' preference relating to place of death, information about incurability and providing care at home including the possibility of respite for caregivers, increase the probability of home death.

• Prospective studies including thorough multidimensional needs assessment are warranted along with randomised trials with interventions containing timely information of incurability and/or preference discussions.

Context

Many studies show that most terminally ill patients prefer home death.1–3 Home death has previously been associated with home care services,4 GP home visits5 along with age, income and social class in a population-based register study.6 …