Table 3.
Cancer Patient Characteristics and Service Utilization by Designation of Palliative: 1998/99
| Palliative | Non-palliative | |
| Age group (%)*** | ||
| 50–59 | 7.7 | 8.5 |
| 60–69 | 26.6 | 17.0 |
| 70–79 | 35.3 | 37.8 |
| 80+ | 30.4 | 36.7 |
| Gender (%) | ||
| Male | 47.6 | 47.4 |
| Female | 52.4 | 52.6 |
| Income ( |
51,718 | 49,804 |
| GP visits ( |
3.23 | 3.21 |
| Specialist visits ( |
1.21 | 1.34 |
| Nights in hospital ( |
20.97 | 24.19 |
| Home support hours ( |
105.48 | 172.60 |
| Home nursing care visits ( |
21.66 | 6.84 |
* p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001 (X2 and t-test results comparing palliative and non-palliative)