title: Public health and palliative care.
abstract: Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts of society. There are many reasons why palliative care is now a significant public health issue. Death follows a period of chronic or progressing illness, where symptom control and support are needed. This has a significant effect on our health care resources; 10% to 12% of total health care costs are spent on the end of life. Across the globe, populations are aging, such that by 2020 in many countries almost 1 in 3 people will be aged 65 years or more. After reaching the age of 65, people now live an average of another 12 to 22 years. Cost-effective ways to provide care are needed, and public health has a role in ensuring equity of access to effective care and prevention of suffering and problems during bereavement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Policy, GKT School of Medicine, King's College London, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK. irene.higginson@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Irene J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Higginson
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koffman
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom