Table 1 Demographic Characteristics of Hospice Applicants

Age

n

%

n

%

n

%

 19–40

74

0.8

52

0.7

22

1.0

 41–60

1182

12.3

930

12.4

252

12.0

 61–80

4665

48.6

3678

49.0

987

47.0

 81+

3682

38.3

2845

37.9

837

39.9

.118

Sex

 Male

4791

46.7

3749

47.1

1042

45.6

.205

Religion

 Roman Catholic

3643

35.5

3504

44.0

139

6.1

 Protestant

1218

11.9

1163

14.6

55

2.4

 Muslim

36

0.4

31

0.4

5

0.2

 None

1216

11.9

1181

14.8

35

1.5

 Other

66

0.6

65

0.8

1

0.0

 Unknown to the hospice

4075

39.7

2053

25.8

2022

88.7

.004

Living situation

 Alone

4257

53.1

3735

53.4

522

51.2

 With Partner

2803

35.0

2430

34.7

373

36.6

 In Institution

509

6.3

428

6.1

81

7.9

 With Children

435

5.4

393

5.6

42

4.1

 Other

15

0.2

14

0.2

1

0.1

.032

Primary Diagnosis

 Cancer

8345

83.3

6617

84.1

1728

80.6

 Heart Disease

659

6.6

503

6.4

156

7.3

 Pulmonary Disease

217

2.2

159

2.0

58

2.7

 Neurological Disease (inc. CVA)

330

3.3

239

3.0

91

4.2

 Other

466

4.7

354

4.5

112

5.2

<.001