Table 1

Type and involvement of patients and carers
Types of participants
 Patients interviewed
 Age patient
 Gender patient
 Settings
 Type of carer interview
 Number and relation of carer to patient
 Gender carer
Patients with cancer
 30
 Range: 52–67
 8 women
 Outpatient clinic
 5J
 5 spouses
 2 men


Median: 68
 22 men
2S
 1 daughter
 5 women






1 son
Patients with COPD
 14
 Range: 52–75
 9 women
 Outpatient clinic
 2S
 5 spouses
 6 women


Median: 69
 5 men
4J
 1 daughter
Patients with cardiac failure
 10
 Range: 61–80
 3 women
 Outpatient clinic
 3S
 3 spouses
 3 women


Median: 69
 7 men



MND patients
 10
 Range: 24–77
 1 woman
 Outpatient clinic
 9S
 8 spouses
 9 women


Median: 42
 9 men

1 mother
Patients with severe COPD
 4
 Range: 52–78
 2 women
 Community
 1J
 2 spouses
 1 man


Median: 70
 2 men



Patients needing palliative care
 8
 Range: 64–79
 5 women
 Community
 1S
 1 spouse
 2 women


Median: 69
 3 men
1J
 1 daughter

J: joint, S: separate

Gysels et al. BMC Medical Ethics 2008 9:7   doi:10.1186/1472-6939-9-7