Table 3.

Factors associated with knowledge or beliefs about hospice care in Calgary

KNOWLEDGE OR BELIEFFACTORLEVELNOR (95% CI)MODEL P VALUE
There are 3 hospices in Calgary currently [False]• Type of practice• Family medicine, general56Reference*.001
• Family medicine with special interest424.5 (1.8–11.0)
• Subspecialty within family medicine516.4 (1.7–161.3)
• Special interest in palliative medicine• No76Reference< .001
• Yes269.4 (3.4–26.1)
A patient should be given a prognosis ≤ 6 mo to be eligible for hospice care [False]• Type of practice• Family medicine, general56Reference.012
• Family medicine with special interest423.6 (1.6–8.5)
• Subspecialty within family medicine51.8 (0.3–12.0)
• Special interest in palliative medicine• No76Reference.028
• Yes262.7 (1.1–6.9)
The current wait time for a patient to receive a hospice bed in the Calgary Zone is > 1 y [False]• Special interest in palliative medicine• No76Reference.034
• Yes265.2 (1.1–23.9)
Patients living in the Calgary zone can self-refer to a Calgary hospice [False]• Special interest in palliative medicine• No76Reference.001
• Yes267.5 (2.2–25.3)
Patients are randomly assigned to a hospice depending on bed availability [False]• Special interest in palliative medicine• No75Reference.006
• Yes263.8 (1.5–9.7)
  • OR—odds ratio.

  • * In logistic regression, one level of the independent variable serves as a reference against which the odds of the other levels occurring are determined. For example, in this instance, the odds of knowing the correct answer that there are not only 3 hospices in Calgary are 4.5 greater for those family physicians with a special interest than for those in family medicine general practice.