Socio-demographic and clinical determinants of place of death

Objective: To identify determinants factors of the place of death. Methodology: In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, data for one year, March 2011 to March 2012 were extracted from death certificates information in Mashhad, Iran. Logistic regression was used to highlight the determinants factors of place of death. Results: More than half of deaths (56.7%) occurred at hospitals, 33.1% at home and 10.2% in other places. Age, nationality, residency, and cause of death strongly affected the place of death. The probability of dying at home for both genders was the same, however, residents of rural areas died mostly at home where as residents of urban areas did not. Hospitals were the most common place of death following transportation accidents (OR=20.708, CI=10.205-42.021), perinatal disease (OR=3.856, CI=1.944-7.648) and probability of death at home was more related to endocrine diseases (OR=0.399, CI=0.3120.511) and cancers (OR=0.411, CI=0.356-0.474). Conclusions: Although most of people prefer to die at home, only 30% of deaths occurred at home in Mashhad. So, the policy makers need to take account of the determinants socio-demographic factors of place of death, such as age, residence, and cause of disease.(Rawal Med J 201;43:388392).