Three out of four Belgians are dying in hospitals or care homes, according to a new study published on Friday by the Mutualité Chrétienne (MC), raising fresh concerns about how end-of-life care is delivered across the country.
The figures show that 76.1% of people pass away in care facilities, with 42.6% dying in hospitals and 33.5% in care homes. This marks a clear shift from 2005-2006, when around half of all deaths occurred in hospitals and just 23% in care homes.
The study also highlights how palliative care often comes too late. Only 22% of participants received such care in the final three months of their lives. For half of them, it began just 46 days before death, suggesting many patients are not benefiting from early support that could improve their quality of life.
Access to palliative care remains uneven. People living alone, who are more likely to end up in care homes, are less likely to receive it than those who live with others.
There are also disparities depending on illness. Cancer patients are significantly more likely to receive palliative care than those suffering from other conditions.
"Palliative care could significantly improve comfort earlier and for conditions beyond cancer, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chronic lung diseases, or dementia," said Elise Derroitte, vice-president of the MC.
Socioeconomic factors further shape access. People receiving increased intervention status (BIM) are 15% more likely to benefit from palliative care than those without it. However, they are also less likely to die at home, pointing to persistent inequalities in how and where people spend their final days.
