Skip to main content

Table 1 Patient characteristics

From: Assessing what matters most to patients with or at risk for Alzheimer’s and care partners: a qualitative study evaluating symptoms, impacts, and outcomes

Patient characteristic

AD classification

Total patient sample (N = 60)

Group 1 (n = 12)

Group 2 (n = 12)

Group 3 (n = 12)

Group 4 (n = 12)

Group 5 (n = 12)

Current age (years)

 Mean (SD)

65.9 (10.3)

67.8 (8.8)

73.1 (10.1)

74.2 (7.6)

78.1 (9.3)

71.8 (10.0)

 Range

56–89

53–82

52–87

60–89

57–88

52–89

Sex,n(%)

 Male

5 (41.7)

4 (33.3)

7 (58.3)

5 (41.7)

6 (50.0)

27 (45.0)

 Female

7 (58.3)

8 (66.7)

5 (41.7)

7 (58.3)

6 (50.0)

33 (55.0)

Race/ethnicity,n(%)

 White/Caucasian

9 (75.0)

8 (66.7)

10 (83.3)

10 (83.3)

9 (75.0)

46 (76.7)

 Black/African American

2 (16.7)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

8 (13.3)

 Asian

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

3 (5.0)

 Hispanic or Latino

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

3 (5.0)

Current employment status,n(%)

 Employed full-time

5 (41.7)

4 (33.3)

3 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

12 (20.0)

 Employed part-time

3 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

5 (8.3)

 Retired

3 (25.0)

7 (58.3)

7 (58.3)

11 (91.7)

10 (83.3)

38 (63.3)

 Disabled

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

2 (3.3)

 Unemployed

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

3 (5.0)

Highest level of education,n(%)

 Less than high school

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (3.3)

 High school diploma or equivalent (GED)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

5 (41.7)

5 (41.7)

13 (21.7)

 Associate’s degree/technical school

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

4 (6.7)

 Some college

5 (41.7)

4 (33.3)

1 (8.3)

3 (25.0)

3 (25.0)

16 (26.7)

 College degree

4 (33.3)

7 (58.3)

4 (33.3)

4 (33.3)

2 (16.7)

21 (35.0)

 Graduate or professional degree

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

4 (6.7)

Current marital status,n(%)

 Single

3 (25.0)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

5 (8.3)

 Married

8 (66.7)

8 (66.7)

6 (50.0)

8 (66.7)

6 (50.0)

36 (60.0)

 Living with partner

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (1.7)

 Divorced or separated

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

4 (6.7)

 Widowed

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

4 (33.3)

5 (41.7)

14 (23.3)

Current living arrangement,n(%)

 Alone, in own home or apartment

4 (33.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)a

7 (11.7)

 With only spouse/partner

6 (50.0)b

6 (50.0)c

5 (41.7)

8 (66.7)

3 (25.0)

28 (46.7)

 With only children

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)d

2 (16.7)

3 (25.0)

4 (33.3)

11 (18.3)

 With spouse/partner and child (ren)

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

3 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

9 (15.0)

 With another relative

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)e

1 (8.3)f

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

 In an assisted-living facility

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

3 (5.0)

Physician referral

 Neurologist

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

5 (41.7)

5 (41.7)

15 (25.0)

 Primary care/general practitioner

10 (83.3)

9 (75.0)

7 (58.3)

5 (41.7)

5 (41.7)

36 (60.0)

 Otherg

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

3 (25.0)

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

9 (15.0)

Comorbidities,n(%)

 Hypertension

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

5 (41.7)

2 (16.7)

3 (25.0)

14 (23.3)

 Type 2 diabetes

1 (8.3)

3 (25.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

3 (25.0)

10 (16.7)

 High cholesterol

3 (25.0)

4 (33.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

10 (16.7)

 Depression

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

7 (11.7)

 Other cardiovascular diseasesh

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

3 (25.0)

7 (11.7)

 Osteoporosis

2 (16.7)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (16.7)

7 (11.7)

 Anxiety

2 (16.7)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

1 (8.3)

6 (10.0)

 Thyroid disease

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

4 (6.7)

 Sleep apnea

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (16.7)

0 (0.0)

3 (5.0)

 Rheumatoid arthritis

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

3 (5.0)

 Osteoarthritis

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (3.3)

 Gout

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

2 (3.3)

 Glaucoma

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (1.7)

 COPD

0 (0.0)

1 (8.3)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (1.7)

  1. AD Alzheimer’s disease, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, GED general educational development, SD standard deviation
  2. Note: Demographic data for patients in groups 1, 2, and 3 were self-reported; data for patients in groups 4 and 5 were reported by care partners at screening
  3. aThis patient was currently living in an apartment for seniors but going to an assisted-living facility within the next few months
  4. bOne participant lived in a retirement village with his spouse
  5. cOne participant was living with her spouse and friends
  6. dOne participant reported that her son stays over at the home on occasion
  7. eThis participant was living with grandchildren
  8. fThis participant was living with his mother who had a stroke and providing care to her
  9. gOther physician referrals were all from the Raleigh Neurology Associates Research Department except for one participant in group 4, who was referred via a psychiatrist
  10. hIncluding heart attack, angina, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and ischemic heart disease