One in three people in the Netherlands die in hospital

In 2003 nearly 142 thousand persons died in the Netherlands. About one third died in hospital, more than one quarter at home and one fifth died in nursing homes.

Mortality by age and place of death, 2003

Mortality by age and place of death, 2003

Two in three young people die in hospital

Young people relatively often died in hospital in 2003. Two in every three people under 20 who died last year, died in hospital. Most of the approximately 1 thousand newly born children that died in 2003 died in hospital from perinatal disorders or congenital defects.

Nearly half of young people aged 1-19 die in hospital. One in three die from non-natural causes, such as road accidents.

Cancer patients often die at home

Three-quarters of people who die in the age category 20-79 die in hospital or at home. There is a relation between place of death and cause of death. The number of cancer patients in this age group dying at home is above average, whereas people suffering from lung diseases more often die in hospital.

Mortality in the age category 20–79 by cause of death and place of death, 2003

Mortality in the age category 20–79 by cause of death and place of death, 2003

People over 80 die in nursing homes and homes for the elderly

Half of over-80s who die die in nursing homes and homes for the elderly, a quarter die in hospital. Mortality in nursing homes totals 20 thousand residents aged over 80. Almost 30 percent of them die from cardiovascular diseases. Mental and behavioural disorders are the second cause of death in nursing homes, claiming 20 percent of over-80s, mainly patients with senile dementia. In homes for the elderly 40 percent die of cardiovascular diseases, followed by 15 percent who die of cancer. Few people in homes for the elderly die of mental and behavioural disorders.

Ingeborg Deerenberg