Table 1.
Baseline patient and family caregiver characteristics by treatment arm.
| Characteristics | Intervention arm (n=21) | Control arm (n=21) | ||
| Patients | ||||
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 60 (12.8) | 59.5 (13.8) | ||
| Female sex, n (%) | 13 (61.9) | 16 (76.2) | ||
| Primary cancer site, n (%) | ||||
| Breast | 1 (4.8) | 10 (47.6) | ||
| Colorectal | 2 (9.5) | 1 (4.8) | ||
| Lung | 3 (14.3) | 6 (28.6) | ||
| Prostate | 2 (9.5) | 0 | ||
| Ovarian | 0 | 1 (4.8) | ||
| Thyroid | 2 (9.5) | 0 | ||
| Lymphoma | 6 (28.6) | 0 | ||
| Melanoma | 0 | 1 (4.8) | ||
| Brain | 1 (4.8) | 0 | ||
| Other | 4 (19.0) | 2 (9.5) | ||
| Annual household income in CDN$, n (%) | ||||
| $0-$21,999 | 2 (9.5) | 4 (19.1) | ||
| $22,000-$49,999 | 2 (9.5) | 2 (9.5) | ||
| $50,000-$89,999 | 7 (33.3) | 4 (19.1) | ||
| >$90,000 | 4 (19.1) | 5 (20.8) | ||
| Prefer not to disclose | 6 (28.6) | 6 (28.6) | ||
| Primary language, n (%) | ||||
| English | 20 (95.2) | 20 (95.2) | ||
| Other | 1 (4.8) | 1 (4.8) | ||
| Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, mean (SD)a | 5.2 (2.5) | 5.8 (1.9) | ||
| Caregiver, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 4 (19.1) | 6 (28.6) | ||
| No | 17 (81.0) | 15 (71.4) | ||
| Highest education attained, n (%) | ||||
| Primary school | ‒ | ‒ | ||
| High school | 4 (19.1) | 6 (28.6) | ||
| College/University | 8 (38.1) | 8 (38.1) | ||
| Professional/Graduate degree | 9 (42.9) | 7 (33.3) | ||
| ECOG score, median (interquartile range)b | 1.5 (1-2) | 1 (1-2) | ||
| Outcome measures (n=39) | ||||
| POS, mean (SD)c | 9.3 (6.8) | 9.8 (5.4) | ||
| Picker Continuity and Coordination subscale, mean (SD)d | 47.9 (28.5) | 62.5 (25.3) | ||
| ESAS (Total Symptom Distress Score), mean (SD)e | 21.2 (17.1) | 23.4 (12.9) | ||
| Family caregivers of consented patient participants | (n=18) | (n=8) | ||
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 57 (15.9) | 54 (14.6) | ||
| Female sex, n (%) | 9 (60.0) | 6 (33.3) | ||
| Missing, n (%) | 3 (16.7) | ‒ | ||
| Relationship to patient, n (%) | ||||
| Spouse | 7 (38.9) | 4 (22.2) | ||
| Immediate family | 5 (27.8) | 8 (44.4) | ||
| Other | 3 (16.7) | ‒ | ||
| Missing data | 3 (16.7) | ‒ | ||
aAge-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index is a measure of comorbidity based on risk of mortality. The score is weighted by age, increasing for each decade over age 40 [44].
bECOG scale is scored from 1-5 with 1 being well and 4 indicating complete disability. A value of 5 indicates death.
cMean summed scores are presented for POS with a maximum score of 40. Higher scores indicate worse quality of care.
dThe Picker Continuity and Coordination subscale is a proportion of total number of positive responses to total number of responses. Higher scores indicate the higher perceived continuity of care.
eMean summed scores are presented for the ESAS with a maximum score of 90. Higher scores indicate higher symptom distress.