Table 3 Study results – determinants of home versus hospital death

 Nurse home visits in a general end-of-life population (vs. no visits)

1 study

2.78 (2.08–3.85) [35]

 Nurse home visits in home care recipients (vs. no visits)

1 study

3.13 (1.08–6.21) [26]

 Family physician home visits in a general end-of-life population (vs. no visits)

1 study

12.50 (8.33–16.67) [35]

 Family physician home visits in home care recipients

2 studies

1.74 (1.08–2.80) [23]

4.42 (1.46–13.36) [2]

Pooled: 2.01 (1.30–3.12), I²: 57 %

 Multidisciplinary palliative home care team

2 studies

 Vs. usual care^a

RR 2.17 (1.92–2.50) [36]

 Vs. no multidisciplinary home care team

8.40 (4.70–15.10) [20]

 In-hospital palliative support team or hospice unit (yes vs. no)

2 studies

0.34 (0.10–0.90) [20]

0.62 (0.40–0.96) [25]

Pooled: 0.54 (0.33–0.89), I²: 18 %

 Patient preference for home death in a general end-of-life population (vs. no patient preference for home death)

1 study

14.20 (9.50–21.40) [20]

 Patient preference for home death in home care recipients (vs. no patient preference for home death)

2 studies

2.04 (1.48–2.80) [21]

2.92 (1.25–6.84) [2]

Pooled: 2.13 (1.58–2.87), I²: 0

 Family preference for home death vs. no family preference for home death

1 study

Non-cancer patients: 11.51 (8.56–15.99) [21]

Cancer patients: 20.07 (12.24–32.91) [21]

 Congruence between patient and family preference vs. no preference congruence

1 study

Non-cancer patients: 12.33 (9.51–15.99) [21]

Cancer patients: 57.00 (38.79–83.76) [21]

 Cancer, cardiovascular disease - See Figures 2–3

 Major acute condition vs. other conditions

1 study

0.29 (0.26–0.33) [32]

 Time from referral to palliative care to death (≥1 vs. < 1 month)

1 study

2.21 (1.34–3.67) [13]

 Worse functional status or bedridden (vs. better functional status or not bedridden)

2 studies

2.22 (1.27–3.87) [23]

1.82 (0.93–3.57) [34]

Pooled: 2.05 (1.33–3.15), I²: 0

  ≥ 1 hospital admission during the last year of life (vs. no admission)

1 study

0.15 (0.07–0.30) [22]

 Decision not to re-hospitalize in the event of a crisis (vs. no)

1 study

40.11 (11.81–136.26) [24]

 Presence of informal caregiver (often vs. none or sometimes)

1 study

2.30 (1.20–4.60) [20]

 Low informal caregiver psychological distress during stable phase (vs. high distress)

1 study

5.41 (1.13–25.92) [24]

 Informal caregiver satisfaction with support from family physician (vs. dissatisfaction)

1 study

1.62 (0.31–8.62) [2]

 Informal caregiver health (excellent/very good vs. fair/poor)

1 study

0.64 (0.20–1.99) [2]

 See Figure 4