End-of-Life Care Not a Uniquely American Problem

A consortium of 17 international researchers published research Tuesday comparing end-of-life care for cancer patients in seven developed nations. It shows that the United States, in some ways, offers less intensive care than other countries. American cancer patients, for example, are less likely to die in hospitals than Canadians or Brits. The average Belgian will spend about 10 days of the last month of life at a hospital. In the United States, that number hovers around five days.