Characteristics of cancer patient referrals to home care: a regional perspective.

Records of 609 cancer patients referred in 1979 to home health agencies in rural and urban health service regions in Illinois were abstracted. There was no difference in the overall utilization of home care between the two regions, but significant differences in referral characteristics were found between the two regions with respect to patient's disability level, disease stage, presence of concurrent medical conditions, and living arrangement, and to the source of referral.