Table 1 Sample characteristics (N = 232)

Family caregiver characteristics

Age, M (SD); Range

55.5 (14.8); 20–88

Gender, n (%)

Male

78 (33.6)

Female

154 (66.4)

Relationship to the patient. The patient is…, n (%)

Spouse/partner

148 (63.8)

Mother/father

61 (26.3)

Others ^a

23 (9.9)

Having Children, n (%)

Yes

164 (70.7)

No

24 (27.6)

Missing

4 (1.7)

Educational level, n (%)

Low (≤ 9 years)

65 (28.0)

Medium (10 years)

72 (31.0)

High (12–13 years) ^b

91 (39.2)

Missing

4 (1.7)

Working situation, n (%)

Working

123 (53.0)

Not working

99 (42.7)

Missing

10 (4.3)

Patient- and care-related characteristics

Gender, n (%)

Male

118 (50.9)

Female

105 (45.3)

Missing

9 (3.9)

Age, n (%)

≤ 60 years

75 (32.3)

> 60 years

155 (66.8)

Missing

2 (0.9)

Time from cancer diagnosis to admission to the palliative care ward, n (%)

≤ 12 months

99 (42.7)

> 12 months

125 (53.9)

Missing

8 (3.4)

Place of care before admission to the palliative care ward, n (%)

Home care without any nursing service

82 (35.3)

Home care with nursing service not specialized in palliative care

21 (9.1)

Home care with nursing service specialized in palliative care

33 (14.2)

Hospital wards

82 (35.3)

Others ^c

11 (4.8)

Missing

3 (1.3)

Involvement of family caregiver in physical patient care before admission to the palliative care ward, n (%)

Yes

107 (46.1)

No

118 (50.9)

Missing

7 (3.0)

Advance directives: patient decree, n (%)

Yes

140 (60.3)

No

92 (39.7)

Advance directives: power of attorney, n (%)

Yes ^d

159 (68.5)

No

73 (31.5)