Table 1. Patient Characteristics.
| Total Sample n = 167 | Analysis Sample n = 127* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer (115) | Other (52) | Cancer (87) | Other (40) | |
| % in Analysis Sample | 75.7 | 76.9 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| % with Follow-up QOL† Data | 80.9 | 90.4 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| % Deceased by Time of Analysis | 94.8 | 84.6 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| % Female | 66.1 | 57.7 | 71.3 | 57.5 |
| Age at Enrollment: Md (range) | 68 (34,99) | 81 (36,98) | 69 (37,98) | 81 (42,98) |
| % Minority Race/Ethnicity | 11.3 | 9.6 | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| Formal Education | ||||
| % 8th Grade or Less | 0.0 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| % Some High School | 6.1 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 7.5 |
| % High School Diploma / GED | 13.0 | 19.2 | 12.6 | 17.5 |
| % Trade School or Some College | 34.8 | 34.6 | 40.2 | 37.5 |
| % 4-Year College Degree | 24.3 | 19.2 | 20.7 | 17.5 |
| % Graduate/Professional School | 21.7 | 13.5 | 20.7 | 15.0 |
| Average Monthly Income, Past 3 Yrs | ||||
| % $0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| % $1-$500 | 3.5 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 5.0 |
| % $501-$1000 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 10.0 |
| % $1001-$1500 | 13.9 | 17.3 | 13.8 | 10.0 |
| % $1501-$2000 | 6.1 | 17.3 | 4.6 | 17.5 |
| % $2001-$3000 | 21.7 | 13.5 | 20.7 | 15.0 |
| % $3001-$4000 | 13.0 | 9.6 | 14.9 | 10.0 |
| % $4001 and Over | 27.8 | 13.5 | 27.6 | 17.5 |
| % Unknown | 7.0 | 13.5 | 8.0 | 12.5 |
| Primary Diagnosis | ||||
| % Cancer | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 |
| % Cardiac Disease | 0.0 | 48.1 | 0.0 | 47.5 |
| % Pulmonary Disease | 0.0 | 23.1 | 0.0 | 25.5 |
| % Neurologic Disease | 0.0 | 17.3 | 0.0 | 17.5 |
| % Other Diseases | 0.0 | 11.5 | 0.0 | 10.0 |
| Baseline Symptoms / Quality-of-Life | ||||
| Symptom Distress Score‡: Mean | 1.1 (±0.6) | 1.0 (±0.4) | 1.1 (±0.5) | 1.0 (±0.4) |
| PQoL Score§: Mean | 6.0 (±1.8) | 5.8 (±1.7) | 6.0 (±1.7) | 5.9 (±1.7) |
| QOL Rating†: Mean | 6.3 (±2.6) | 5.7 (±2.3) | 6.2 (±2.6) | 5.8 (±2.3) |
| Last QOL† before Death: Mean | 5.2 (±2.8) | 5.4 (±2.7) | 4.7 (±2.8) | 5.2 (±2.8) |
| % Received Hospice Care¶ | 81.7 | 90.4 | 83.9 | 90.0 |
| # Follow-up Points: Md (Range) | 6 (0,109) | 15.5 (0,130) | 8 (1,109) | 15.5 (1,130) |
| Elapsed Time (Days) | ||||
| Enrollment to Death: | ||||
| Actual: Md (Range), Decedents# | 116 (6,1592) | 191 (7,1193) | 123 (20,1592) | 211.5 (24,1193) |
| Estimated: Md, Total Sample** | 122 | 217 | -- | -- |
| Time Followed: Md (Range) †† | 94 (11,1091) | 162 (9,966) | 91 (11,1067) | 147 (9,966) |
| Last Follow-up to Death: Md (Range) | -- | -- | 22 (3,946) | 13 (2,558) |
Abbreviations: Md (median)
Analysis sample included all patients who provided at least one follow-up assessment of quality of life, and who had died by the time of analysis.
Single-item quality-of-life rating: potential range = 0 (no quality of life) through 10 (perfect quality of life)
Total scale score from the 32-item Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (mean value for valid responses to the 32 items): potential range = 0 (no symptoms) through 4 (all 32 symptoms present and causing very great distress).
Total scale score from the 19-item Perceived Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (mean value for valid responses to the 19 items): potential range = 0 (extremely dissatisfied with all 19 areas assessed) through 10 (extremely satisfied with all 19 areas assessed).
Information on hospice care was available only through August 31, 2007 (the point at which the study team ended regular visits to hospice programs)
Based on patients who had died by the time of data analysis
Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, with 14 non-decedents censored at the point of data analysis.
Time from study enrollment to last follow-up interview; for the total sample, this included times for only the 140 patients who completed at least one follow-up interview.