Background
Methods
Study design and subjects
Measurements
Statistical analysis
Results
Variable | n (%a) | p value | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
All patients | Use of emergency servicesb | |||
65 (100) | During normal hours of palliative home care 39 (60.0) | During out-of-hours of palliative home care 26 (40.0) | ||
Sex | 0.139 | |||
Male | 35 (54.8) | 24 (61.5) | 11 (42.3) | |
Female | 30 (46.2) | 15 (38.5) | 15 (57.7) | |
Mean age (SD) | 72.6 (12.1) | 72.1 (13.3) | 73.3 (10.4) | 0.888 |
Marital status | 0.547 | |||
Being married | 59 (90.8) | 34 (87.2) | 25 (96.2) | |
Single | 3 (4.6) | 2 (5.1) | 1 (3.8) | |
Divorced | 3 (4.6) | 3 (7.7) | 0 (0) | |
Educational level | 0.179 | |||
Illiterate | 23 (35.4) | 11 (28.2) | 12 (46.2) | |
Elementary school | 14 (21.5) | 11 (28.2) | 3 (11.5) | |
Junior high school or above | 28 (43.1) | 17 (43.6) | 11 (42.3) | |
Mean number of people living together (SD) | 2.1 (1.4) | 2.0 (1.3) | 2.2 (1.5) | 0.690 |
Urbanization level of residence | 0.776 | |||
Urban | 17 (26.2) | 11 (28.2) | 6 (23.1) | |
Suburban or rural | 48 (73.8) | 28 (71.8) | 20 (76.9) | |
Type of cancer | ||||
Liver | 18 (27.7) | 11 (28.2) | 7 (26.9) | 0.910 |
Lung | 12 (18.5) | 9 (23.1) | 3 (11.5) | 0.334 |
Colorectal | 14 (21.5) | 8 (20.5) | 6 (23.1) | 0.805 |
Other | 21 (32.3) | 11 (28.2) | 10 (38.5) | 0.426 |
Caretaker | ||||
In-home nurse only | 16 (24.6) | 12 (30.8) | 4 (15.4) | 0.241 |
Spouse only | 27 (41.5) | 14 (35.9) | 13 (50.0) | 0.309 |
In-home nurse and spouse | 10 (15.4) | 4 (10.3) | 6 (23.1) | 0.181 |
Others | 12 (18.5) | 9 (23.1) | 3 (11.5) | 0.334 |
Mean length of palliative home care service, days (SD) | 43.5 (37.4) | 41.6 (35.4) | 46.3 (40.7) | 0.763 |
[median (minimum–maximum)] | [31 (3–156)] | [27 (3–139)] | [37 (3–156)] | |
No. of home visit by home palliative care team (SD) | 3.7 (3.9) | 3.6 (3.3) | 4.0 (4.7) | 0.989 |
[median (minimum–maximum)] | [3 (1–24)] | [3 (1–15)] | [3 (1–24)] | |
ECOG performance status | 0.128 | |||
3 | 34 (52.3) | 17 (43.6) | 17 (66.4) | |
4 | 31 (47.7) | 22 (56.4) | 9 (34.6) | |
Home death | 0.999 | |||
yes | 13 (20.0) | 8 (20.5) | 5 (19.2) | |
no | 52 (80.0) | 31 (79.5) | 21 (80.8) |
Variable | Use of emergency servicesa n (%) | p value | |
---|---|---|---|
During normal hours of palliative home care 39 (60.0) | During out-of-hours of palliative home care 26 (40.0) | ||
Mean number of emergency services use (SD) | 1.5 (1.0) | 1.8 (1.6) | 0.393 |
[median (minimum–maximum)] | [1 (1–6)] | [1 (1–9)] | |
Mean number of emergency hospitalization | 0.8 (0.4) | 1.0 (0.4) | 0.033 |
(SD) [median (minimum–maximum)] | [1 (0–1)] | [1 (0–3)] | |
Clinical symptoms or signs at emergency admission | |||
Pain | 33 (84.6) | 14 (53.8) | 0.010 |
Infection or fever | 21 (53.8) | 10 (38.5) | 0.311 |
Nausea or vomiting | 8 (20.5) | 4 (15.4) | 0.749 |
Constipation | 5 (12.8) | 3 (11.5) | > 0.999 |
Dyspnea | 17 (43.6) | 14 (53.8) | 0.456 |
Change of consciousness | 7 (17.9) | 9 (34.6) | 0.150 |
Gastrointestinal bleeding | 5 (12.8) | 7 (26.9) | 0.197 |
Composite distressing conditionb | 4 (10.3) | 8 (30.8) | 0.052 |
Mean daily oral morphine equivalent dose prior to emergency admission (SD) | 34.0 (52.0) | 19.4 (28.9) | 0.054 |
[median (minimum–maximum)] | [15 (0–300)] | [7.5 (0–120)] |
Variable | Odds ratio | 95% CI | p value |
---|---|---|---|
Sex (male versus female) | 0.46 | 0.16 to 1.25 | 0.130 |
Age (year) | 1.01 | 0.97 to 1.05 | 0.693 |
Type of cancer | |||
Liver | 0.94 | 0.30 to 2.83 | 0.910 |
Colorectal | 0.43 | 0.09 to 1.65 | 0.249 |
Lung | 1.16 | 0.34 to 3.85 | 0.805 |
Other | 1.59 | 0.55 to 4.61 | 0.388 |
ECOG performance status (level 4 versus level 3) | 0.41 | 0.14 to 1.12 | 0.088 |
Urbanization level of residence (urban versus suburban or rural) | 0.76 | 0.23 to 2.36 | 0.645 |
Caretaker | |||
In-home nurse only | 0.41 | 0.10 to 1.36 | 0.166 |
Spouse only | 1.79 | 0.65 to 4.97 | 0.260 |
In-home nurse and spouse | 2.63 | 0.67 to 11.34 | 0.170 |
Other | 0.43 | 0.09 to 1.65 | 0.249 |
Clinical symptoms or signs | |||
Pain | 0.21 | 0.06 to 0.66 | 0.009 |
Infection or fever | 0.54 | 0.19 to 1.46 | 0.226 |
Nausea or vomiting | 0.70 | 0.17 to 2.54 | 0.603 |
Constipation | 0.89 | 0.17 to 3.98 | 0.878 |
Dyspnea | 1.51 | 0.59 to 4.15 | 0.418 |
Change of consciousness | 2.42 | 0.77 to 7.90 | 0.132 |
Gastrointestinal bleeding | 2.51 | 0.70 to 9.52 | 0.159 |
Composite distressing conditiona | 3.89 | 1.07 to 16.24 | 0.045 |
Mean daily oral morphine equivalent dose prior to emergency admission | 0.99 | 0.97 to 1.00 | 0.224 |
Variable | Adjusted odds ratio | 95% CI | p value |
---|---|---|---|
Pain | 0.18 | 0.05–0.59 | 0.006 |
Composite distressing conditiona | 4.91 | 1.25–22.39 | 0.028 |