End of life care

Abstract

The majority of end-of-life care research is based in health care settings and/or is led by health professionals or health based researchers. This review is informed by that work. It is a guide for researchers undertaking projects on end of life care when it is provided in residential and long term care settings, people's homes and community settings. These are locations where, alongside health care services, social care is involved in providing support to people who are dying. The aim of the review is to provide an overview of the range of research methods that have been commonly used in end of life care research, their relative advantages and disadvantages and a discussion of the particular ethical challenges and logistical issues that can arise when undertaking research in this area.