Citizens appreciate talking about death and learning end-of-life care – a mixed-methods study on views and experiences of 5469 Last Aid Course participants

Abstract

Background Most people would prefer to die at home. Engaging citizens in end-of-life care may contribute to making home death possible for more people. Aims To test the feasibility and acceptability of Last Aid Courses in different countries and to explore the views and experiences of participants with the course. Methods International multi-centre study with a questionnaire based mixed methods design. 408 Last Aid Courses were held in three different countries. Of 6014 course participants, 5469 participated in the study accounting for a response rate of 91%. Results The median age of participants was 56 years. 88% were female. 76% of participants rated the course “very good”. 99% would recommend it to others. Findings from the qualitative data revealed that participants found the atmosphere comfortable; instructors competent; appreciated the course format, duration, topics and discussions about life and death. Conclusions Last Aid Courses are both feasible and accepted by citizens from different countries. They have a huge potential to inform citizens and to encourage them to engage in care at home. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of the course on the ability and willingness of participants to provide end-of-life care and the impact on the number of home-deaths.