title: The trajectory of palliative care costs over the last 5 months of life: a Canadian longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to highlight the trajectory of palliative care costs over the last five months of life in five urban centres across Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample was comprised of 160 terminally ill patients and their main informal caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A first interview took place in the patient's home, and subsequent follow-up interviews were conducted by telephone at two week intervals until the patient's passing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were asked to provide information on the goods and services they used related to the patients' health condition, and on informal caregiving time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall costs of care gradually increased from the fifth to the last month of the patients' life. A large part of this cost increase was attributable to inpatient care. Among outpatient care costs the largest increase was observed for home care. Informal care costs were particularly high over the last 3 months of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge gained from this study would be useful to policy makers when developing policies that could help families caring for a terminally ill loved one at home.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Pavillon Charles-De Koninck, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada. serge.dumont@svs.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Turcotte
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000191:economics*; D019452:Terminally Ill; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult