Table 1.
Characteristics of interviewees (N=50)
| Mayo Clinic (N=32) | Hennepin County Medical Center (N=18) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years | ||
| Median | 59.5 | 50.5 |
| Range | 26 to 85 | 25 to 61 |
| Sex | ||
| Female | 20 (63%) | 9 (50%) |
| Male | 12 (38%) | 9 (50%) |
| Race | ||
| White | 31 (97%) | 2 (11%) |
| African-American | 1 (3%) | 13 (72%) |
| Native American | 0 | 2 (11%) |
| Mixed (African/Native American) | 0 | 1 (6%) |
| Education | ||
| High school graduate or less | 5 (16%) | 12 (67%) |
| Some college/technical degree | 11 (34%) | 6 (33%) |
| College graduate | 16 (50%) | 0 |
| Marital status | ||
| Married or living with partner | 22 (69%) | 4 (22%) |
| Not married | 10 (31%) | 14 (78%) |
| Employment status | ||
| Retired/unemployed | 13 (41%) | 5 (28%) |
| Full-time employed | 10 (31%) | 2 (11%) |
| Part-time employed | 4 (13%) | 2 (11%) |
| On disability or leave | 4 (13%) | 8 (44%) |
| Homemaker | 1 (3%) | 1 (6%) |
| Self-reported health conditions | ||
| Median | 5 | 5 |
| Range | 1 to 16 | 3 to 8 |
| Top ten most reported health conditions | Gastrointestinal problems (15) | Hypertension (14) |
| Hypertension (14) | Depression or anxiety (11) | |
| Arthritis/joint pain (13) | Arthritis/joint pain (8) | |
| Diabetes (12) | Back/neck problems (7) | |
| Cardiovascular disease (10) | Diabetes (7) | |
| Depression (10) | Asthma/COPD (7) | |
| Hyperlipidemia (8) | Obesity (6) | |
| Back/neck problems (8) | Drugs/alcohol/smoking (5) | |
| Eye problems (8) | Cardiovascular disease (3) | |
| Sleeping problems (7) | Other mental health, sleep disorders, chronic pain, or migraine headache (2) | |
Note: Copyright © 2012. Dove Medical Press. Reproduced from Ridgeway JL, Egginton JS, Tiedje K, et al. Factors that lessen the burden of treatment in complex patients with chronic conditions: a qualitative study. Patient Pref Adherence. 2014;8:339–351.20
Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.