Table 2.
Characteristics of participants at entry to the study according to spiritual belief. Results are numbers (percentages) unless indicated otherwise
| Characteristic | Strength of spiritual belief
|
All participants (n=129)
|
Significance
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None (n=21)
|
Low (n=53)
|
High (n=55)
|
|||
| Men | 12 (57) | 17 (32) | 16 (29) | 45 (35) | χ2=5.6, P=0.062 |
| Mean (SD) age | 48 (19.9)* | 52 (14.9)† | 55 (15)† | 53 (15.9) | F=1.45, P=0.238 |
| Social class I, II, and IIIN | 14 (67) | 32 (60) | 37 (67) | 83 (64) | χ2=0.62, P=0.734 |
| Relationship to dying patient: | |||||
| Spouse or partner | 7 (33) | 23 (43) | 21 (38) | 51 (40) | χ2=6.06, P=0.195 |
| Child | 10 (48) | 24 (45) | 18 (33) | 52 (40) | |
| Other | 4 (19) | 6 (11) | 16 (29) | 26 (20) | |
| Third level education | 6 (29) | 11 (21) | 19 (35) | 36 (28) | χ2=2.56, P=0.278 |
| Married or cohabiting | 10 (48) | 41 (77) | 40 (73) | 91 (71) | χ2=6.62, P=0.036 |
| White ethnic group | 18 (86) | 52 (98) | 47 (85) | 117 (91) | χ2=5.86, P=0.053 |
| Mean (SD) HADS | 18.6 (8.0) | 18.8 (8.1) | 17.4 (8.7) | 18.2 (8.3) | F=0.409, P=0.665 |
| Mean (SD) locus of control | 30.1 (10.4) | 30.7 (11.1)‡ | 32.4 (9.7) | 31.4 (10.4)§ | F=0.532, P=0.589 |
HADS=hospital anxiety and depression scale.
*
Data missing for one person.
†
Data missing for two people.
‡
n=51.
§
n=127.