Skip to main content

Table 3 Differences in symptom OCCURRENCE rates between younger (< 60, n = 263) and older (≥ 60, n = 330) patients

From: Differences in the symptom experience of older versus younger oncology outpatients: a cross-sectional study

Symptom

Occurrence rates (%) by age group

Unadjusted values

Adjusted values

Older age

Older age

<60

≥60

Odds ratio

CI

Odds ratio

CI

Difficulty concentrating

57.0

37.0

.44+

.32-.62

.58**

.40-.85

Pain

73.0

57.0

.49+

.35-.69

.51**

.34-.75

Lack of energy

81.7

69.1

.50+

.34-.74

.69

.44-1.08

Cough

40.3

35.5

.81

.58-1.14

.89

.60-1.32

Feeling nervous

39.5

26.7

.56**

.39-.79

.61*

.41-.91

Dry mouth

43.7

42.1

.94

.68-1.30

1.10

.75-1.62

Nausea

38.0

25.8

.57**

.40-.80

.52**

.34-.79

Feeling drowsy

65.0

53.6

.62**

.45-.87

.68*

.47-.99

Numbness/tingling in hands/feet

36.1

28.5

.70*

.50-.99

.76

.51-1.14

Difficulty sleeping

63.9

44.8

.46+

.33-.64

.55**

.38-.80

Feeling bloated

31.9

19.1

.50+

.35-.73

.51**

.33-.78

Problems with urination

21.3

36.1

2.09+

1.44-3.02

1.18

.76-1.83

Vomiting

17.5

10.9

.58*

.36-.92

.41**

.23-.72

Shortness of breath

37.6

32.1

.78

.56-1.10

.73

.48-1.11

Diarrhea

21.7

21.8

1.01

.68-1.49

.86

.54-1.35

Feeling sad

52.1

31.2

.42+

.30-.58

.46+

.31-.67

Sweats

45.2

31.2

.55+

.39-.77

.60**

.41-.88

Worrying

57.8

32.1

.35+

.25-.48

.39+

.27-.56

Problems with sexual interest

35.7

22.4

.52+

.36-.75

.34+

.22-54

Itching

34.2

23.0

.58**

.40-.83

.72

.47-1.08

Lack of appetite

38.0

30.6

.72

.51-1.01

.68

.45-1.02

Dizziness

27.0

21.2

.73

.50-1.06

.71

.46-1.10

Difficulty swallowing

16.3

15.2

.91

.59-1.43

.92

.55-1.56

Feeling irritable

51.7

32.1

.44+

.32-.62

.47+

.32-.69

Mouth sores

14.8

12.7

.84

.52-1.34

.91

.54-1.54

Changes in the way food tastes

31.2

30.0

.95

.67-1.34

1.09

.71-1.68

Weight loss

23.2

23.0

.99

.68-1.46

1.10

.69-1.73

Hair loss

23.6

18.5

.74

.49-1.09

.90

.55-1.49

Constipation

33.8

30.9

.87

.62-1.24

.82

.55-1.22

Swelling of arms or legs

16.3

16.4

1.00

.65-1.55

1.10

.66-1.82

I don’t look like myself

35.4

20.9

.48+

.34-.70

.64*

.42-.98

Changes in skin

38.0

20.3

.42+

.29-.60

.62*

.41-.94

  1. Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval.
  2. *p < .05, **p < .01, +p < .001.
Back to article page

BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

Contact us