TABLE 1.
Socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics of the study sample (N = 450)
| Characteristics | Patients | |
|---|---|---|
| n | % | |
| Sex, n (%) | ||
| Male | 321 | 71.3 |
| Female | 129 | 28.7 |
| Age in years, n (%) | (Mean 73.7; median 75) | (SD 9.2; range 33–95) |
| <60 | 29 | 6.4 |
| 60–70 | 128 | 28.4 |
| 71–80 | 183 | 40.8 |
| >80 | 110 | 24.4 |
| Marital status, n (%) | ||
| Not married | 13 | 2.9 |
| Married | 380 | 84.4 |
| Divorced or widowed | 57 | 12.7 |
| Educational level, n (%) | ||
| Uneducated | 95 | 21.1 |
| Elementary school | 150 | 33.3 |
| Middle/high school | 166 | 36.9 |
| Vocational school | 23 | 5.1 |
| ≥College | 16 | 3.6 |
| Living state, n (%) | ||
| Alone | 56 | 12.4 |
| Living with spouse | 246 | 54.8 |
| Living with other family members | 144 | 32.0 |
| Living in private welfare institutions | 2 | 0.4 |
| Living in social welfare institutions | 2 | 0.4 |
| Hospitalisation cost, n (%) | ||
| Publicly funded free medical care | 24 | 5.3 |
| Medical insurance | 411 | 91.3 |
| Commercial insurance | 3 | 0.7 |
| Self‐funded | 12 | 2.7 |
| Monthly income per person (Chinese Yuan), n (%) | ||
| <500 | 163 | 36.2 |
| 500–1000 | 37 | 8.2 |
| 1000–3000 | 110 | 24.5 |
| >3000 | 140 | 31.1 |
| Employment state | ||
| Employed | 12 | 2.7 |
| Temporarily employed/on sick leave | 1 | 0.2 |
| Unemployed | 29 | 6.4 |
| Farming | 157 | 34.9 |
| Retired | 251 | 55.8 |
| Time since diagnosed (Years), n (%) | (Mean 14.4; median 10) | (SD 10.9; range 1–60) |
| 1–10 | 254 | 56.4 |
| 11–20 | 117 | 26.0 |
| 21–30 | 44 | 9.8 |
| >30 | 35 | 7.8 |
| Home oxygen therapy | ||
| Equipped | 217 | 48.2 |
| Unequipped | 233 | 51.8 |
| Smoking history, n (%) | ||
| Current smoker | 68 | 15.1 |
| Never smoker | 154 | 34.2 |
| Former smoker (quit smoking) | 228 | 50.7 |
| Alcohol history, n (%) | ||
| Current drinking | 52 | 11.6 |
| Never drinking | 231 | 51.3 |
| Former drinking | 167 | 37.1 |
| Number of comorbidities, n (%) | ||
| None | 69 | 15.3 |
| One | 105 | 23.3 |
| Two | 108 | 24.0 |
| ≥Three | 168 | 37.3 |
| FEV1 in % predicted, n (%) | ||
| Gold I (Mild) | 25 | 5.6 |
| Gold II (Moderate) | 134 | 29.8 |
| Gold III (Severe) | 222 | 49.3 |
| Gold IV (Very severe) | 69 | 15.3 |