End-of-Life Care in Nursing Homes and Hospitals

Dear Colleagues,

Palliative care is recognized as an international human right, and the quality of end-of-life care is of paramount importance. However, global health systems are unprepared for the growing need. The World Health Organization estimates that only 14% of the global population has access, leaving the vast majority of needs unmet.

When available, palliative care must be provided through a person-centered approach. It should be integrated into health services that are responsive to the specific needs and preferences of each individual, regardless of age, disease, or setting. Yet, providing this care is increasingly complex. Medical and technological advancements, while offering promise, have profoundly impacted the dying process. This has often led to a "medicalized" end-of-life experience that can be isolated, creating a tension between technological intervention and the fundamental human need for comfort and respect. Nowadays, societies are seeking innovative methods to reclaim a sense of humanity and striving to balance the capabilities of modern medicine with the essential requirements for dignity in life's final stages.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the links between advancement of technology and medicine and human experiences at the end of life, particularly in hospital settings and nursing homes. New research papers, reviews, and innovation and intervention reports are welcome. Other manuscript types accepted include methodological and perspective papers.

Dr. Kittikorn Nilmanat
Prof. Dr. Margaret Fitch
Guest Editors

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