Table 1.
Participants’ characteristics (N = 114)
| Disease type | Total (N = 114) |
CHF (n = 35) |
Stroke (n = 21) |
ESRD (n = 28) |
ESLD (n = 30) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | M ± SD/n (%) | M ± SD/n (%) | M ± SD/n (%) | M ± SD/n (%) | M ± SD/n (%) |
| Demographic characteristics | |||||
| Age (years) | 58.42 ± 15.59 | 61.94 ± 14.33 | 57.95 ± 16.50 | 59.29 ± 19.61 | 53.83 ± 11.09 |
| < 65 | 68 (59.6) | 18 (51.4) | 12 (57.1) | 14 (40.0) | 24 (80.0) |
| ≥ 65 | 46 (40.4) | 17 (48.6) | 9 (42.9) | 14 (50.0) | 6 (20.0) |
| Sex | |||||
| Male | 68 (59.6) | 21 (60.0) | 17 (81.0) | 16 (57.1) | 14 (46.7) |
| Female | 46 (40.4) | 14 (40.0) | 4 (19) | 12 (42.9) | 16 (53.3) |
| Spouse | |||||
| Yes | 86 (75.4) | 31 (88.6) | 17 (81.0) | 18 (64.3) | 20 (66.7) |
| No | 28 (24.6) | 4 (11.4) | 4 (19.0) | 10 (35.7) | 10 (35.7) |
| Educational status | |||||
| ≤ Middle school | 33 (28.9) | 13 (37.1) | 4 (19.0) | 9 (32.1) | 7 (23.3) |
| High school | 41 (36.0) | 11 (31.4) | 9 (42.9) | 7 (25.0) | 14 (46.7) |
| ≥ College | 40 (35.1) | 11 (31.4) | 8 (38.1) | 12 (42.9) | 9 (30.0) |
| Primary caregiver | |||||
| Spouse | 63 (55.3) | 20 (57.1) | 11 (52.4) | 16 (57.1) | 16 (53.3) |
| Parents | 14 (12.3) | 2 (5.7) | 3 (14.3) | 4 (14.3) | 5 (16.7) |
| Child(ren) | 23 (20.2) | 9 (25.7) | 4 (19.0) | 3 (10.7) | 7 (23.3) |
| Other | 14 (12.3) | 4 (11.4) | 3 (14.3) | 5 (17.9) | 2 (6.7) |
| Working status | |||||
| Unemployed | 54 (47.4) | 20 (57.1) | 6 (28.6) | 18 (64.3) | 10 (33.3) |
| Employed | 60 (52.6) | 15 (42.9) | 15 (71.4) | 10 (35.7) | 20 (66.7) |
| Family monthly income (USD) | |||||
| < 3500 | 73 (64.0) | 23 (65.7) | 11 (52.4) | 21 (75.0) | 18 (60.0) |
| ≥ 3500 | 41 (36.0) | 12 (34.3) | 10 (47.6) | 7 (25.0) | 12 (40.0) |
| Religion | |||||
| None | 41 (36.0) | 11 (31.4) | 8 (38.1) | 13 (46.4) | 9 (30.0) |
| Catholicism/Christianity | 41 (36.0) | 11 (31.4) | 7 (33.3) | 9 (32.1) | 14 (46.7) |
| Buddhism | 32 (28.1) | 13 (37.1) | 6 (28.6) | 6 (21.4) | 7 (23.3) |
| Hospice experience | |||||
| Yes | 4 (3.5) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (4.8) | 1 (3.6) | 2 (6.7) |
| No | 110 (96.5) | 35 (100.0) | 20 (96.4) | 27 (93.4) | 28 (93.3) |
| Clinical characteristics | |||||
| Hospitalisation period (days) | 7.98 ± 8.80 | 7.57 ± 7.64 | 6.00 ± 3.07 | 8.25 ± 8.62 | 9.60 ± 12.33 |
| < 7 days | 69 (60.5) | 22 (62.9) | 14 (66.7) | 15 (53.6) | 18 (60.0) |
| ≥ 7 days | 45 (39.5) | 13 (37.1) | 7 (33.3) | 13 (46.4) | 12 (40.0) |
| Number of comorbidities | 3.14 ± 1.98 | 3.94 ± 2.56 | 1.67 ± 1.24 | 3.21 ± 1.34 | 3.17 ± 1.58 |
| ≤ 3 | 74 (64.9) | 16 (45.7) | 21 (100.0) | 16 (57.1) | 21 (70.0) |
| > 3 | 40 (35.1) | 19 (54.3) | 0 (0.0) | 12 (42.9) | 9 (30.0) |
| Duration of disease (months) | |||||
| < 12 | 76 (66.7) | 19 (54.3) | 20 (95.2) | 22 (78.6) | 15 (50.0) |
| ≥ 12 | 38 (33.3) | 16 (45.7) | 1 (4.8) | 6 (21.4) | 15 (50.0) |
| ECOG PS | |||||
| 0, 1 | 68 (59.6) | 18 (51.4) | 13 (62.0) | 13 (46.4) | 24 (80.0) |
| 2 | 23 (20.2) | 12 (34.3) | 4 (19.0) | 3 (10.7) | 4 (13.3) |
| 3, 4 | 23 (20.2) | 5 (14.3) | 4 (19.0) | 12 (42.9) | 2 (6.7) |
M mean, SD standard deviation, CHF chronic heart failure, ESRD end-stage renal disease, ESLD end-stage liver disease, ECOG PS Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status