Table 1. Characteristics of groups who completed the CSNAT study.
| Study Group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intervention N = 233 | Control N = 89 | p-value | ||
| Silver Chain Base | Base 1 | 108 (46.6%) | 15 (16.9%) | |
| Base 2 | 65 (27.9%) | 35 (39.3%) | ||
| Base 3 | 60 (25.8%) | 39 (43.8%) | ||
| FAMILY CARER | ||||
| Gender | 0.094 | |||
| Male | 69 (29.6%) | 18 (20.2%) | ||
| Female | 164 (70.4%) | 71 (79.8%) | ||
| Age (yrs.) | 0.016 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 62.1 ± 12.4 | 65.5 ± 13.16 | ||
| Median (Range min., max.) | 62.0 (20, 88) | 67.0 (33, 92) | ||
| Marital status | 0.217 | |||
| Never married | 13 (5.6%) | 2 (2.2%) | ||
| Widowed | 7 (3.0%) | 2 (2.2%) | ||
| Divorced/separated | 11 (4.7%) | 9 (10.1%) | ||
| Married/de facto | 202 (86.7%) | 76 (85.4%) | ||
| Cultural background | 0.111 | |||
| Australian | 129 (55.4%) | 60 (67.4%) | ||
| Other English speaking | 66 (28.3%) | 21 (23.6%) | ||
| Non-English speaking | 38 (16.3%) | 8 (9.0%) | ||
| Usual employment | 0.144 | |||
| Paid employment | 74 (31.8%) | 17 (19.1%) | ||
| Pensioner | 96 (41.2%) | 44 (49.4%) | ||
| Self-funded retiree | 35 (15.0%) | 15 (16.9%) | ||
| Other | 28 (12.0%) | 13 (14.6%) | ||
| Education | 0.502 | |||
| No formal education | 1 (0.4%) | 0 | ||
| Primary | 5 (2.1%) | 1 (1.1%) | ||
| Secondary | 133 (57.1%) | 57 (64.0%) | ||
| Tertiary | 94 (40.3%) | 31 (34.8%) | ||
| Living arrangements | 0.158 | |||
| Private residence | 223 (95.7%) | 81 (91.0%) | ||
| Retirement village | 7 (3.0%) | 7 (7.9%) | ||
| Other | 3 (1.3%) | 1 (1.1%) | ||
| Relationship | 0.644 | |||
| Spouse | 157 (67.4%) | 63 (70.8%) | ||
| Parent | 4 (1.7%) | 3 (3.4%) | ||
| Adult Child | 52 (22.3%) | 16 (18.0%) | ||
| Sibling | 5 (2.1%) | 3 (3.4%) | ||
| Other | 15 (6.4%) | 4 (4.5%) | ||
| Caring affected work | 0.007 | |||
| Gave up job | 41 (17.7%) | 16 (18.0%) | ||
| Reduced hours | 27 (11.6%) | 8 (9.0%) | ||
| No change | 22 (9.5%) | 2 (2.2%) | ||
| Not working | 115 (49.6%) | 60 (67.4%) | ||
| Other | 27 (11.6%) | 3 (3.4%) | ||
| Other caring responsibilities | 0.375 | |||
| Yes | 57 (24.5%) | 17 (19.1%) | ||
| No | 176 (75.5%) | 72 (80.9%) | ||
| Caring length (months) | Mean (± SD) | 21.7 ± 43.48 | 18.4 ± 24.39 | |
| Median (Range) | 10.0 (0.3, 420) | 11.0 (1, 144) | 0.498 | |
| PATIENT | ||||
| Patient gender | 0.452 | |||
| Male | 130 (55.8%) | 54 (60.7%) | ||
| Female | 103 (44.2%) | 35 (39.3%) | ||
| Patient age (years) | 0.172 | |||
| Mean (± SD) | 70.3 ± 13.37 | 72.1 ± 14.29 | ||
| Median (Range) | 72.0 (28, 94) | 74.0 (4, 93) | ||
| Diagnosis | 0.029 | |||
| Cancer | 175 (75.1%) | 66 (74.2%) | ||
| Cancer + non-cancer | 39 (16.7%) | 8 (9.0%) | ||
| Non-cancer | 19 (8.2%) | 15 (16.9%) | ||
| Length of diagnosis (months) | Mean (± SD) | 30.3 ± 49.84 | 31.1 ± 50.89 | |
| Median (Range) | 13.0 (0.3, 420) | 13.0 (1, 400) | 0.697 | |
| Length of palliative care (months) | Mean (± SD) | 2.9 ± 4.24 | 6.0 ± 8.29 | |
| Median (Range) | 1.5 (0.3, 29) | 4.0 (0.3, 72) | 0.000 | |
| Length of stay with Silver Chain (months) | Mean (± SD) | 2.3 ± 3.75 | 5.1 ± 5.19 | |
| Median (Range) | 0.9(0.03, 4.16) | 3.2(0.03, 7.95) | 0.000 | |