Table 1 Key Characteristics Stratified by Clients Expressions of a Wish to Die among Palliative Home Care Clients in Ontario, Canada (N = 4,840)
From: The wish to die among palliative home care clients in Ontario, Canada: A cross-sectional study
|  |  | Total Population (n = 4,840) | Expressed Wish to die (6.7 %, n = 308) | Did Not Express Wish to Die (93.3 %, n = 4,532) | Unadjusted Odds Ratio (95 % CI) ŧ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sociodemographic characteristics | |||||
 Age Group **** | 18-64a | 33.6 (1,628) | 22.1 (68) | 34.4 (1,560) | 1.00 |
| Â | 65-74 | 25.3 (1,222) | 21.1 (65) | 25.5 (1,157) | 1.29 (0.91-1.83) |
| Â | 75-84 | 28.6 (1,383) | 33.4 (103) | 28.2 (1,280) | 1.85 (1.35-2.53) |
| Â | 85 + | 12.5 (607) | 23.4 (72) | 11.8 (535) | 3.09 (2.19-4.36) |
 Gender | Malea | 49.3 (2,367) | 44.9 (136) | 49.5 (2,231) | 1.00 |
| Â | Female | 50.8 (2,439) | 55.1 (167) | 50.5 (2,272) | 1.21 (0.95-1.52) |
 Marital Status** | Not Marrieda | 37.2 (1,748) | 47.1 (140) | 36.5 (1,608) | 1.00 |
| Â | Married/Have Partner | 62.8 (2,952) | 52.9 (157) | 63.5 (2,795) | 0.65 (0.51-0.82) |
Clinical characteristics | |||||
 Prognosis**** | Death Imminent | 1.9 (75) | 10.4 (26) | 1.3 (49) | 15.09 (8.73-26.1) |
| Â | Less than 6Â weeks | 9.3 (364) | 23.1 (58) | 8.4 (306) | 5.39 (3.65-7.97) |
| Â | 6Â weeks to 6Â months | 48.1 (1,879) | 45.0 (113) | 48.3 (1,766) | 1.82 (1.31-2.54) |
| Â | Greater than 6Â monthsa | 40.7 (1,590) | 21.5 (54) | 42 (1,536) | 1.00 |
 Reported Diagnosis**** | Cancer Onlya | 61.6 (2,855) | 61.0 (178) | 61.6 (2,677) | 1.00 |
| Â | Non-Cancer Only | 10.4 (480) | 18.2 (53) | 9.8 (427) | 1.87 (1.35-2.58) |
| Â | Cancer & Non-Cancer | 28.1 (1,301) | 20.9 (61) | 28.6 (1,240) | 0.74 (0.55-0.99) |
 Functional Impairment**** | No-minimal (ADL-H = 0)a | 48.6 (2,223) | 25.1 (71) | 50.1 (2,152) | 1.00 |
|  | Mild-moderate (ADL-H = 1-2) | 23.2 (1,064) | 18.7 (53) | 23.5 (1,011) | 1.59 (1.11-2.29) |
|  | Severe (ADL-H ≥ 3) | 28.2 (1,291) | 56.2 (159) | 26.4 (1,132) | 4.26 (3.19-5.68) |
 Decline in Functional Ability**** | Noa | 20.9 (906) | 7.8 (23) | 21.9 (883) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 79.1 (3,420) | 92.2 (272) | 78.1 (3,148) | 3.32 (2.15-5.11) |
 Cognitive Impairment**** | No-minimal (CPS = 0) a | 66.8 (3,087) | 52.3 (146) | 67.7 (2,941) | 1.00a |
|  | Mild-moderate (CPS = 1-2) | 26.7 (1,234) | 30.1 (84) | 26.5 (1,150) | 1.47 (1.12-1.94) |
|  | Severe (CPS ≥ 3) | 6.5 (301) | 17.6 (49) | 5.8 (252) | 3.92 (2.765-5.55) |
 Decline in Cognition**** | Noa | 72.1 (3,127) | 56.0 (158) | 73.2 (2,969) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 27.9 (1,210) | 44.0 (124) | 26.8 (1,086) | 2.15 (1.68-2.74) |
 Health Stability**** | Stable (CHESS = 0-1) | 16.0 (709) | 6.3 (18) | 16.6 (691) | - |
|  | Unstable (CHESS = 2-3) | 47.1 (2,091) | 36.3 (103) | 47.9 (1,988) | - |
|  | Highly Unstable (CHESS = 4-5) | 36.9 (1,637) | 57.4 (163) | 35.5 (1,474) | - |
 Depressive Symptoms | No-Minimal Risk (DRS = 0-2) a | 91.9 (4,200) | 76.2 (205) | 92.9 (3,995) | 1.00 |
| Â | Moderate Risk (DRS =3-5) | 6.4 (291) | 14.9 (40) | 5.8 (251) | 3.11 (2.16-4.46) |
|  | High Risk (DRS ≥ 6) | 1.8 (80) | 8.9 (24) | 1.3 (56) | 8.35 (5.07-13.75) |
 Pain* | None (PS = 0) a | 26.3 (1,185) | 26.0 (73) | 26.3 (1112) | 1.00 |
|  | Less than severe (PS = 1-2) | 55.5 (2,502) | 49.8 (140) | 55.9 (2,362) | 0.90 (0.67-1.21) |
|  | Severe-excruciating (PS = 3-4) | 18.2 (822) | 24.2 (68) | 17.8 (754) | 1.37 (0.98-1.94) |
 Breakthrough Pain* | Noa | 66.1 (3,083) | 59.4 (174) | 66.5 (2,909) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 33.9 (1,582) | 40.6 (119) | 33.5 (1,463) | 1.36 (1.07-1.73) |
 New Pain**** | Noa | 88.9 (4,110) | 81.1 (227) | 89.4 (3,883) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 11.1 (515) | 18.9 (53) | 10.6 (462) | 1.96 (1.43-2.69) |
 Fatigue**** | Noa | 19.0 (901) | 8.3 (25) | 19.7 (876) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 81.1 (3,854) | 91.7 (275) | 80.3 (3,579) | 2.69 (1.78-4.08) |
 Weight loss** | Noa | 52.8 (2,421) | 43.9 (127) | 53.4 (2,294) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 47.2 (2,162) | 56.1 (162) | 46.6 (2,000) | 1.46 (1.15-1.86) |
 Bladder Incontinence**** | Noa | 82.5 (3,948) | 70.3 (213) | 83.3 (3,735) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 17.5 (840) | 29.7 (90) | 16.7 (750) | 2.10 (1.63-2.73) |
 Too Much Sleep**** | Noa | 77.8 (3,607) | 51.2 (148) | 79.5 (3,459) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 22.2 (1,031) | 48.8 (141) | 20.5 (890) | 3.70 (2.91-4.72) |
Psychosocial characteristics | |||||
 Sense of completion on financial, legal, & formal responsibilities**** | Noa | 20.2 (929) | 11.1 (32) | 20.8 (897) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 79.8 (3,676) | 88.9 (257) | 79.2 (3,419) | 2.11 (1.45-3.07) |
 Has strengths that can be fostered**** | Noa | 6.4 (298) | 13.5 (39) | 5.9 (259) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 93.6 (4,385) | 86.5 (249) | 94.1 (4,136) | 0.40 (0.28-0.57) |
 Consistent positive outlook **** | Noa | 20.2 (939) | 44.6 (124) | 18.6 (815) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 79.8 (3,712) | 55.4 (154) | 81.4 (3,558) | 0.28 (0.22-0.37) |
 Struggling with meaning of life**** | Noa | 89.5 (3,503) | 77.5 (162) | 90.2 (3,341) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 10.5 (409) | 22.5 (47) | 9.8 (362) | 2.68 (1.90-3.77) |
 Informal Caregiver Exhibits Distress**** | Noa | 75.9 (3,460) | 65.1 (190) | 76.6 (3,270) | 1.00 |
| Â | Yes | 24.1 (1,100) | 34.9 (102) | 23.4 (998) | 1.76 (1.37-2.26) |