title: [An overview on palliative care and the end of life. Results of a survey conducted in a sample of the French population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To have an overview of the French population concerning palliative care.
  
  
  METHODS
  French opinion poll, based on a questionnaire submitted to 302 persons recruited at random in the street, in several regions of France. It included questions concerning the representation of pain, the sick body, death, the end of life and palliative care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding the management of pain, the majority of persons surveyed (59.6%) felt that the general practitioner was the appropriate referent to treat pain. The population's experience with regard to the death of a close relative revealed that death had occurred in hospital in 58.3% of cases. Nevertheless, the majority (57%) of the population wished to die in their own home. The concept of palliative care centres is increasing in the public's mind, but remains vague in its practical aspects for 60.9% of the population surveyed. For 29.5% of the population surveyed, information and training of health professionals in palliative care was considered as a priority.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The end of life and death is a source of fear for most of the population. This motivates a transfer towards the medical corps for the professional and technical management of this period of life, and the health professionals must be prepared to respond appropriately to this specific demand.
authors.affiliation: Centre gérontologique de Champmaillot, Dijon.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beuzart
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ritzenthaler
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bondu
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Girardier
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Béal
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfitzenmeyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care; D011639:Public Opinion; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires