A study by the Journal of Palliative Medicine (JPM) reveals that 71% of adults in the United States are unaware of the existence of palliative care, while more and more palliative care centres are diversifying their services. The study found that seniors, university graduates, women, and Caucasians are the most likely to have heard of it.
Palliative care provides patients with non-curative treatment to improve their comfort and quality of life during all stages of their illness. The study explains that such care represents a significant financial gain thanks to a “reduction in the length of stay of hospitalized patients, a decrease in readmissions, and a decrease in the number of emergency services” it entails. This data confirms a study published in July 2017 that indicated that palliative care “could reduce health care costs by more than $4,000 per patient”. Denis Viscek, Chief Financial Officer of Hospice by the Bay, said that “the health insurance system has not yet fully adopted it, but more and more private insurance companies are starting to cover it”.
“For this reason, the conditions of the right to health were not met at the time of the refusal”. The Court stated that by refusing the abortion, doctors “increased the risk of her health deteriorating”, representing an act of “discrimination” since only women can have access to this type of intervention “which violates their right to the highest possible level of health and well-being”.
For further reading:
Mexican Supreme Court decision: abortion will not be decriminalised
Sources:
Hospice news, Jim Parker (14/05/2019) – Study: 71% of U.S. Adults Have Never Heard of Palliative Care
