2328 Knowledge of dying in place and preferences for place of death among older adults in Hong Kong

• Published in: Age and ageing Vol. 53; no. Supplement_3
• Main Authors: Lee, LYK, Kwan, QCM, Cheung, MCY, Cheung, RTM, Lee, MAWS, Po, EYP
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 08.08.2024; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Community resources; Death; Death & dying; Death education; Knowledge; Older people; Place of death; Preferences; Residential care; Social media; Hong Kong China; China
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae139.084
• ISSN: 0002-0729

IntroductionThe preference for place of death and the concept of dying in place have been subjects of debate in numerous jurisdictions. Despite the growing prevalence of ageing populations and the increasing demand for dying in place, there is a limited body of literature exploring older adults' knowledge of dying in place and their preferences for the place of death. In Hong Kong, there are ongoing legislative efforts to revise the policy on dying in place. This study aims to investigate the knowledge of dying in place and the preferences for the place of death among older adults in Hong Kong. MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited 503 older adults. A questionnaire was disseminated through online social media platforms and face-to-face interview. ANOVA was conducted to compare the differences in knowledge scores among participants with varying preferences for the place of death. ResultsParticipants demonstrated a sub-optimal knowledge level (mean = 3.55; range 0-8). Notably, 54.7% of participants were unaware of the existing law that regulates dying in place in Hong Kong, and 43.5% did not know about the availability of community resources to support patients who choose to die at home. A greater number of participants (55.5%) preferred to die at home. Other preferences included hospital (18.9%), hospice (17.1%), and care home (8.5%). Participants who preferred to die at home exhibited a higher knowledge score (mean 3.84) compared to those who preferred to die in hospital (mean = 2.79) (F = 5.323, p = 0.001). ConclusionsThe findings of this study provide insights that can inform the revision of current policies, the enhancement of community resources supporting dying in place, and the strengthening of life and death education targeted at older adults. Acknowledgement: The work described in this paper was fully supported by a fund from Hong Kong Metropolitan University (RD/2022/2.17).