Table 1.
Socio-demographic characteristics of patients and befrienders
| Patient characteristics (n = 28) | |
| Gender (n, %) | |
| Female | 12 (42.9%) |
| Male | 16 (57.1%) |
| Age (Mean, SD) | 43 (10.3) |
| Ethnicity (n, %) | |
| White | 7 (25%) |
| Black / Black British – African | 6 (21.4%) |
| Black / Black British – Caribbean | 5 (17.9%) |
| Bangladeshi | 5 (17.9%) |
| Other | 5 (17.9%) |
| Years since diagnosis (Mean, SD) | 25.52 (11.30) |
| Employment status (n, %) | |
| Paid employment | 1 (3.6%) |
| Full time education or training | 1 (3.6%) |
| Retired | 1 (3.6%) |
| Unemployed | 25 (89.3%) |
| Withdrew from the scheme (n, %) | 4 (14.3%) |
| Befriender characteristics (n = 34) | |
| Gender (n, %): | |
| Female | 24 (70.6%) |
| Male | 10 (29.4%) |
| Age (Mean, SD) | 29.24 (9.95) |
| Ethnicity (n, %) | |
| White | 17 (50%) |
| Black / Black British – African | 6 (17.6%) |
| Black / Black British – Caribbean | 1 (2.9%) |
| Bangladeshi | 2 (5.9%) |
| Indian | 1 (2.9%) |
| Pakistani | 1 (2.9%) |
| Other | 6 (17.6%) |
| Employment status (n, %) | |
| Full time employment | 12 (35.3%) |
| Part time employment | 8 (23.5%) |
| Full time student | 4 (11.8%) |
| Unemployed | 4 (11.8%) |
| Retired | 1 (2.9%) |
| Other | 3 (8.8%) |
| Did not disclose | 2 (5.9%) |
| Previous experience of volunteering (n, %) | |
| Yes | 24 (70.6%) |
| No | 10 (29.4%) |
| Withdrew from the scheme (n, %) | 6 (17.6%) |