Quality of life and quality of death

Scientists have compiled a rating of countries on the "quality of death"BBC

The UK tops the list of countries with the most favorable conditions for the elderly and dying, according to analysts at the Economist Intelligence Unit research company.

By analogy with the well-established term "quality of life", a group of scientists conducted a study of the "quality of death". To do this, experts studied the availability of social services in 40 different countries and the quality of their work, as well as people's awareness of what services are available to them, and the peculiarities of national cultures associated with the perception of death.

According to the results of the study, the first place in the "quality of death" was shared by the United Kingdom and Australia, while Britain showed the best result in such indicators as the availability of painkillers and the quality of social services for the care of the terminally ill and dying.

Five countries with the highest index
"the qualities of death"Britain – 7.9

Australia – 7.9
New Zealand – 7.7
Ireland – 6.8
Belgium – 6.8

The overall rating of the UK on a 10-point scale significantly exceeds the indicators of such European countries as Denmark (5.1) or Italy (4.4).

Russia, with an average score of 2.8, ranked 35th out of 40 possible in the ranking. India closes the list with 1.9 points.

Treat or care for?Analysts at the Economist Intelligence Unit, part of the same holding company as the influential Economist magazine, studied official data from 40 countries and communicated with healthcare professionals.

In particular, the average life expectancy and the amount of public financing of the healthcare system as a percentage of GDP were taken into account.

As a result of the study, scientists came to the conclusion that in all countries the most problematic issues are the availability of medicines and social protection services.

In addition, according to the study, in all countries, regardless of how much budget money is spent on healthcare, the quality of care for the dying largely depends on charities that help the sick, especially on the work of hospices.

Scientists also propose a number of measures to improve the "quality of death." In particular, in their opinion, in some countries it is necessary to combat the very traditional attitude to death and the cultural taboos associated with it.

For example, if in the West as a whole the emphasis is on treating and prolonging the life of patients in any way and for any period, then in many Asian cultures it is customary just to take care of the dying.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru16.07.2010