title: [End of life care in general practice: results of an observational survey with general practitioners].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the amount of end of life care provided by general practitioners (GPs) in Germany. Therefore the aim of the HAVEL study is to describe the involvement of GPs in end of life care in more detail.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from all patients who died from natural causes within a period of 12 months (n = 452) were collected from 30 general practices with a self-developed questionnaire and compared to data from patients who died in hospice or palliative care units.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Contact rates with GPs increased at the end of life and approximately half of the patients (48 %) were seen within 48 h prior to death. A different spectrum of diseases and symptoms were observed compared to hospice and palliative care units with predominantly chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular and mental diseases).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioners are highly involved in palliative health care, even for patients who eventually die in hospitals. Differences in patient characteristics and circumstances compared to specialized palliative care should be reflected in curricula for training in palliative care and the definition of a palliative situation.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität, Humboldtallee 38, 37073, Göttingen, Deutschland. igagyor@gwdg.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gágyor
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lüthke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jansky
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chenot
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*