Table 1

Participant characteristics (N = 59)

Male/Female
59/0
Age (years) (mean ± SD)
58.7 ± 3.53
Type of living

     Living with wife
55
     Living without wife or alone
4
Religious belief

     Don't have any special beliefs
52
     Have beliefs
7
Education

     University graduate or higher
52
     High school or Vocational school graduate
7
Occupation

     Office worker
33
     Company executive
8
     Retired
7
     Farmer
6
     Specialist
5
Period of hospitalization (month)

     Mean ± SD
19.2 ± 1.5
     Range
14.2–21.6
Period from hospitalization to the first interview (day)

     Medican (25 percentile-75 percentile)
8 (6–12)
Period from the last interview to death (day)

     Medican (25 percentile-75 percentile)
8(5–11)

Maeda et al. BMC Palliative Care 2006 5:6   doi:10.1186/1472-684X-5-6