Fig. 1

Flow chart of patient screening, recruitment and retention (HK site). ^aReasons for not meeting eligibility criteria: 1) Absence of a family caregiver (n = 73); 2) patient not living at home(n = 52); 3) family unable or unwilling to provide regular nutrition support (n = 5); 4) incapable of oral intake (n = 3); 5) family caregiver unable to speak Chinese (n = 3); and 6) patient life expectancy less than 3 months (n = 2). ^bReasons for declining to join the study: 1)patient/family felt intervention unnecessary (n = 6); 2) patient/family felt that the intervention might not help them (n = 3); 3) family having no time to participate (n = 2); 4) patient/family dislike home visit (n = 2); 5) patient too stressful about disease (n = 2); 6) patient/patient having no interest (n = 2); 7) Patient too old(n = 1); and 7) unknown reasons (n = 5). ^cReasons for withdrawal: 1) re-hospitalization (n = 4); 2) death (n = 3); 3) family matter (n = 1); and 4) not reachable via the phone (n = 1)