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Table 4 Differences in SEVERITY ratings 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 Sample size Age group Mean score Severity ratings† (%) Unadjusted values Adjusted values
Older age Older age
1 2 3 4 OR CI p-value OR CI p-value
Difficulty concentrating 149 <60 1.67 44.3 45.0 10.1 0.7 .80 .50-1.28 .353 .78 .46-1.32 .354
115 ≥60 1.61 50.4 40.0 7.8 1.7
Pain 192 <60 2.08 24.5 47.9 22.9 4.7 1.08 .74-1.58 .674 .97 .64-1.49 .898
181 ≥60 2.12 24.3 45.3 24.3 6.1
Lack of energy 214 <60 2.15 15.4 57.5 23.8 3.3 .91 .64-1.31 .622 .81 .55-1.21 .311
217 ≥60 2.13 21.7 49.8 22.1 6.5
Cough 102 <60 1.74 46.1 36.3 15.7 2.0 1.04 .63-1.73 .870 .86 .47-1.55 .609
110 ≥60 1.75 44.5 38.2 14.5 2.7
Feeling nervous 103 <60 1.83 35.9 47.6 13.6 2.9 .81 .47-1.40 .452 .81 .42-1.54 .514
85 ≥60 1.78 40.0 48.2 5.9 5.9
Dry mouth 110 <60 2.06 28.2 41.8 25.5 4.5 .64 .40-1.03 .068 .54 .32-.91 .020
131 ≥60 1.89 38.2 41.2 14.5 6.1
Nausea 99 <60 1.99 31.3 42.4 22.2 4.0 .64 .37-1.10 .107 .62 .33-1.14 .123
81 ≥60 1.80 43.2 37.0 16.0 3.7
Feeling drowsy 167 <60 1.95 24.6 58.1 15.6 1.8 .68 .45-1.03 .068 .61 .38-.96 .033
169 ≥60 1.82 32.5 55.0 10.7 1.8
Numbness/tingling in hands/feet 94 <60 1.85 36.2 45.7 14.9 3.2 .90 .53-1.55 .710 .79 .42-1.52 .484
91 ≥60 1.85 41.8 38.5 13.2 6.6
Difficulty sleeping 168 <60 2.23 14.9 54.8 23.2 7.1 .87 .56-1.33 .512 .67 .42-1.09 .108
141 ≥60 2.16 17.0 54.6 24.1 4.3
Feeling bloated 82 <60 1.91 30.5 51.2 14.6 3.7 .77 .40-1.47 .429 .77 .36-1.66 .510
55 ≥60 1.82 36.4 49.1 10.9 3.6
Problems with urination 54 <60 1.96 33.3 42.6 18.5 5.6 1.14 .61-2.11 .685 1.10 .56-2.18 .777
110 ≥60 2.01 26.4 52.7 14.5 6.4
Vomiting 43 <60 1.91 41.9 32.6 18.6 7.0 .90 .38-2.14 .811 .51 .17-1.54 .232
29 ≥60 1.79 37.9 44.8 17.2 0.0
Shortness of breath 97 <60 1.78 40.2 45.4 10.3 4.1 1.52 .90-2.58 .116 1.27 .71-2.29 .423
99 ≥60 2.00 33.3 42.4 15.2 9.1
Diarrhea 54 <60 1.93 24.1 61.1 13.0 1.9 .67 .33-1.35 .263 .62 .27-1.42 .258
63 ≥60 1.81 36.5 49.2 11.1 3.2
Feeling sad 137 <60 1.99 30.7 43.8 21.2 4.4 .43 .26-.72 .001 .43 .24-.76 .003
93 ≥60 1.66 46.2 46.2 3.2 4.3
Sweats 117 <60 2.14 23.9 44.4 25.6 6.0 .54 .33-.91 .019 .56 .31-.997 .049
95 ≥60 1.86 34.7 46.3 16.8 2.1
Worrying 152 <60 2.10 20.4 58.6 11.8 9.2 .43 .26-.72 .001 .52 .30-.90 .020
101 ≥60 1.77 38.6 49.5 7.9 4.0
Problems with sexual interest 92 <60 2.50 22.8 31.5 18.5 27.2 1.43 .82-2.52 .212 1.12 .57-2.19 .745
69 ≥60 2.72 18.8 24.6 21.7 34.8
Itching 88 <60 1.86 38.6 43.2 11.4 6.8 .84 .46-1.52 .562 .89 .46-1.75 .745
69 ≥60 1.78 42.0 43.5 8.7 5.8
Lack of appetite 99 <60 2.00 27.3 49.5 19.2 4.0 .96 .57-1.64 .886 .77 .42-1.43 .409
94 ≥60 2.00 27.7 51.1 14.9 6.4
Dizziness 69 <60 1.54 55.1 37.7 5.8 1.4 .84 .43-1.65 .615 .61 .27-1.39 .241
64 ≥60 1.48 59.4 34.4 4.7 1.6
Difficulty swallowing 40 <60 2.03 27.5 45.0 25.0 2.5 .53 .23-1.21 .133 .39 .14-1.10 .074
43 ≥60 1.79 37.2 51.2 7.0 4.7
Feeling irritable 135 <60 1.77 40.7 42.2 16.3 0.7 .82 .50-1.34 .425 .65 .37-1.15 .142
98 ≥60 1.68 41.8 49.0 8.2 1.0
Mouth sores 37 <60 1.86 43.2 35.1 13.5 8.1 .55 .23-1.34 .188 .52 .19-1.43 .205
35 ≥60 1.60 60.0 22.9 14.3 2.9
Change in way food tastes 79 <60 2.06 27.8 48.1 13.9 10.1 .81 .46-1.43 .476 1.05 .57-1.93 .883
91 ≥60 1.96 31.9 47.3 14.3 6.6
Weight loss 60 <60 1.67 48.3 38.3 11.7 1.7 .87 .45-1.69 .674 .60 .28-1.30 .196
67 ≥60 1.63 52.2 35.8 9.0 3.0
Hair loss 61 <60 2.38 27.9 26.2 26.2 19.7 .97 .50-1.88 .921 .77 .36-1.61 .482
52 ≥60 2.37 32.7 23.1 19.2 25.0
Constipation 87 <60 2.38 17.2 40.2 29.9 12.6 .67 .39-1.14 .139 .74 .42-1.32 .308
96 ≥60 2.19 24.0 43.8 21.9 10.4
Swelling of arms or legs 42 <60 2.19 33.3 31.0 19.0 16.7 .92 .43-1.98 .837 .86 .36-2.04 .734
47 ≥60 2.09 25.5 44.7 25.5 4.3
I don’t look like myself 91 <60 2.14 24.2 47.3 18.7 9.9 .52 .28-.95 .033 .49 .25-.96 .037
62 ≥60 1.82 43.5 32.3 22.6 1.6
Changes in skin 99 <60 2.07 24.2 53.5 13.1 9.1 .63 .34-1.16 .140 .80 .41-1.56 .510
61 ≥60 1.89 37.7 42.6 13.1 6.6
  1. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
  2. †Severity ratings = slight (1), moderate (2), severe (3), very severe (4).
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