Table 1. Decedent and Participant Characteristics (N=104).
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Decedent Characteristics | |
| Age, y | |
| Mean | 67 |
| Median (range) | 70 (23-91) |
| Female sex, No. (%) | 37 (36) |
| Race/ethnicity, No. (%) | |
| White | 100 (96) |
| Asian | 2 (2) |
| Black | 1 (1) |
| Hispanic | 0 (0) |
| Other | 1 (1) |
| Highest level of education, No. (%) | |
| Less than high school | 11 (11) |
| High school | 44 (42) |
| Technical school or associate's degree | 14 (13) |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35 (34) |
| Religious affiliation, No. (%) (n=102) | |
| Christian | 93 (91) |
| Jewish | 0 (0) |
| None | 8 (8) |
| Other | 1 (1) |
| Marital status, No. (%) (n=103) | |
| Married | 76 (73) |
| Divorced | 11 (11) |
| Widowed | 10 (10) |
| Never married | 7 (7) |
| Clinical Features | |
| Cause of death, No. (%)a | |
| Malignant neoplasm | 37 (36) |
| Heart disease | 18 (17) |
| Infection | 15 (14) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 10 (10) |
| Chronic lung disease | 5 (5) |
| Liver disease or cirrhosis | 4 (4) |
| Renal failure | 2 (2) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 2 (2) |
| Progressive neurologic decline | 1 (1) |
| Otherb | 10 (10) |
| Overall condition during the last month of life, No. (%) (n=95)c | |
| Gradual decline | 41 (43) |
| Up and down decline | 8 (8) |
| Sudden decline | 46 (48) |
| Overall condition during the last 6 months of life, No. (%) (n=91)c | |
| Gradual decline | 56 (62) |
| Up and down decline | 22 (24) |
| Sudden decline | 13 (14) |
| Location of death, No. (%)a | |
| Intensive care unit | 58 (56) |
| General care unit | 46 (44) |
| Prior experience with medical center, No. (%)c | |
| All care | 34 (33) |
| Intermittent or specialty care | 40 (38) |
| First encounter | 30 (29) |
| Length of stay <7 days, No. (%)a | 54 (52) |
| Days in hospitala | |
| Mean | 13 |
| Median (range) | 8 (2-170) |
| Distance from medical centera | |
| Mean | 140 |
| Median (range) | 59 (1-1,716) |
| Participant Family Member Characteristics | |
| Female sex, No. (%) | 73 (70) |
| Age, y | |
| Mean | 62 |
| Median (range) | 70 (35-91) |
| Race/ethnicity, No. (%) (n=103) | |
| White | 101 (98) |
| Black | 2 (2) |
| Highest level of education, No. (%) (n=103) | |
| Less than high school | 3 (3) |
| High school | 42 (41) |
| Technical school or associate's degree | 19 (18) |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39 (38) |
| Religious affiliation (n=103) | |
| Christian | 93 (90) |
| None | 8 (8) |
| Other | 2 (2) |
| Relationship to decedent | |
| Life partner or spouse | 71 (68) |
| Child | 20 (19) |
| Biological parent | 5 (5) |
| Sibling | 3 (3) |
| Otherd | 5 (5) |
| Self-rated health now compared with 1 year ago | |
| Much better today | 6 (6) |
| Somewhat better | 10 (10) |
| About the same | 67 (66) |
| Somewhat worse | 16 (16) |
| Much worse | 3 (3) |
a
From chart review.
b
Diagnosis was not included in the list above or death resulted from multiple comorbid conditions.
c
From participant interview.
d
Includes in-laws, friends, and nieces or nephews.