Where do people with lung cancer die and how is this changing? A population-based study.

Investigating trends in where cancer patients die may help inform decisions about how healthcare should be organised to support those in need of end-of-life care. We analysed time trends in place of death for lung cancer during 1994-2005, based on 18,078 death certificates. Time trends were analysed by joinpoint regression. 9,485 (53%) deaths occurred in an acute hospital, 5,239 (29%) at home, 2,178 (12%) in hospices and 728 (4%) in nursing homes. Hospice deaths rose from 7% (108/1539) in 1994 to 15% (234/1560) in 2003, falling slightly in 2004-05. Hospital deaths were unchanged over time, but were more common in areas without hospices. Home deaths decreased significantly (annual percentage change (APC)=-2.2%, 95%CI -3.0% to -1.3%). Nursing home deaths rose significantly (APC=5.7%, 95%CI 2.5% to 8.9%). These trends were not explained by temporal changes in the age-sex distribution of deaths. Despite evidence suggesting most cancer patients would prefer to die at home, and developments in palliative care services, home deaths are declining and most lung cancer deaths occur in hospital.