Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the participants
Demographic characteristics | Total (n = 56) | Place of death | p value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home ( n  = 44) | Non-Home ( n  = 12) | ||||||
Age (years) | 73 | (61.3–80.3) | 73.0 | (62.0–81.0) | 74.5 | (59.5–77.8) | 0.952 |
Sex, n(%) | 1.000 | ||||||
 Male | 26 | (46.4%) | 20 | (45.5%) | 6 | (50.0%) |  |
 Female | 30 | (53.6%) | 24 | (54.5%) | 6 | (50.0%) |  |
Cancer | 51 | (91.1%) | 40 | (90.9%) | 11 | (91.7%) | 1.000 |
Metastasis | 49 | (96.1%) | 40 | (100.0%) | 9 | (81.8%) | 0.043 |
Home visit (times) | 3.5 | (2.0–5.0) | 3.0 | (3.0–5.0) | 4.0 | (2.0–4.8) | 0.806 |
Palliative care (days) | 31 | (16.3–51.5) | 30.5 | (16.3–51.5) | 34.0 | (15.8–59.3) | 0.668 |
Level of consciousness | 0.155 | ||||||
 Alert | 44 | (78.6%) | 36 | (81.8%) | 8 | (66.7%) |  |
 Lethargy | 8 | (14.3%) | 4 | (9.1%) | 4 | (33.3%) |  |
 Obtundation | 3 | (5.4%) | 3 | (6.8%) | 0 | (0%) |  |
 Stupor | 0 | (0%) | 0 | (0%) | 0 | (0%) |  |
 Coma | 1 | (1.8%) | 1 | (2.3%) | 0 | (0%) |  |
Oxygen demand | 0.196 | ||||||
 Room air | 46 | (82.1%) | 38 | (86.4%) | 8 | (66.7%) |  |
 Oxygen therapy | 10 | (17.9%) | 6 | (13.6%) | 4 | (33.3%) |  |
Feeding | 0.738 | ||||||
 Oral | 39 | (69.6%) | 31 | (70.5%) | 8 | (66.7%) |  |
 Nasogastric tube | 9 | (16.1%) | 6 | (13.6%) | 3 | (25.0%) |  |
 Nasojejunal tube | 1 | (1.8%) | 1 | (2.3%) | 0 | (0%) |  |
 Peripheral parenteral nutrition | 7 | (12.5%) | 6 | (13.6%) | 1 | (8.3%) |  |
Incontinence | 18 | (32.1%) | 15 | (34.1%) | 3 | (25.0%) | 0.732 |
Enterostomy | 4 | (7.1%) | 4 | (9.1%) | 0 | (0%) | 0.567 |
Percutaneous nephrostomy | 1 | (1.8%) | 1 | (2.3%) | 0 | (0%) | 1.000 |
Foley catheter | 8 | (14.3%) | 7 | (15.9%) | 1 | (8.3%) | 0.672 |
Wound care | 6 | (10.7%) | 5 | (11.4%) | 1 | (8.3%) | 1.000 |
Living situation | 0.574 | ||||||
 Family | 51 | (91.1%) | 39 | (88.6%) | 12 | (100.0%) |  |
 Non-family/alone | 5 | (8.9%) | 5 | (11.4%) | 0 | (0%) |  |
Financial subsidy | 0.666 | ||||||
 National Health Insurance premium alone | 47 | (83.9%) | 36 | (81.8%) | 11 | (91.7%) |  |
 Still had other (disability or veteran) | 9 | (16.1%) | 8 | (18.2%) | 1 | (8.3%) |  |
Patient hope of place of death |  < 0.001 | ||||||
 Home | 46 | (82.1%) | 43 | (97.7%) | 3 | (25.0%) |  |
 Non-Home | 10 | (17.9%) | 1 | (2.3%) | 9 | (75.0%) |  |
Family hope of place of death |  < 0.001 | ||||||
 Home | 45 | (80.4%) | 42 | (95.5%) | 3 | (25.0%) |  |
 Non-Home | 11 | (19.6%) | 2 | (4.5%) | 9 | (75.0%) |  |
The numbers of hospice ward admission | 0.032 | ||||||
 0 | 49 | (87.5%) | 41 | (93.2%) | 8 | (66.7%) |  |
 1 | 7 | (12.5%) | 3 | (6.8%) | 4 | (33.3%) |  |