Loved ones
Intervention group (n=109)Control group (n=87)
Gender (male)††44 (40.4%)22 (25.3%)
Age (years), mean (SD)53.7 (15.2)56.5 (14.4)
Relationship to  patient
 Spouse54 (49.5%)48 (55.2%)
 Child37 (33.9%)30 (34.5%)
 Other‡‡18 (16.5%)9 (10.3%)
Education (high school or more)98 (89.9%)74 (85.1%)
Current smokers29 (26.6%)31 (35.6%)
Religious affiliation§61 (56.0%)47 (54.0%)

  • Data presented as mean (SD) or number of patients (%). 

  • *P<0.01

  • ‡N=71.

  • †N=85.

  • §Religious affiliation indicates having religious affiliation versus none.

  • N=88.

  • **N=75;

  • ††P<0.05;

  • ‡‡Other=brother, sister, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, parent, cousin, foster-son, friend, ex-partner.

  • ACP, advance care planning; BMI, body mass index; CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; FEV 1, forced expiratory volume in the 1 s; HADS-A, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Anxiety subscale; HADS-D, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Depression subscale; MV, mechanical ventilation; SF-36, Short Form 36.