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Table 5 Differences in FREQUENCY 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 Frequency ratings† (%) Unadjusted values Adjusted values
Older age Older age
1 2 3 4 OR CI p-value OR CI p-value
Difficulty concentrating 150 <60 2.19 22.7 44.0 25.3 8.0 .78 .50-1.21 .269 .76 .46-1.25 .277
122 ≥60 2.08 24.6 50.8 16.4 8.2
Pain 192 <60 2.64 13.0 33.3 30.2 23.4 .96 .67-1.38 .829 .95 .63-1.44 .825
188 ≥60 2.62 14.9 32.4 28.7 23.9
Lack of energy 215 <60 2.82 5.1 30.2 42.3 22.3 .88 .62-1.23 .446 .77 .53-1.13 .179
228 ≥60 2.74 10.5 32.0 30.3 27.2
Cough 106 <60 2.12 26.4 41.5 25.5 6.6 .98 .61-1.59 .937 .72 .42-1.25 .246
117 ≥60 2.12 26.5 42.7 23.1 7.7
Feeling nervous 104 <60 2.13 22.1 48.1 24.0 5.8 .57 .33-.97 .038 .52 .27-.99 .046
88 ≥60 1.92 35.2 45.5 11.4 8.0
Dry mouth 115 <60 2.66 13.9 26.1 40.0 20.0 .66 .42-1.03 .070 .52 .32-.85 .009
139 ≥60 2.44 20.9 31.7 30.2 17.3
Nausea 100 <60 2.23 23.0 40.0 28.0 9.0 .55 .32-.94 .028 .54 .29-.99 .047
85 ≥60 1.95 34.1 43.5 15.3 7.1
Feeling drowsy 171 <60 2.40 11.7 44.4 36.3 7.6 .82 .56-1.22 .338 .65 .42-1.01 .058
176 ≥60 2.34 11.9 52.3 25.6 10.2
Numbness/tingling in hands/feet 95 <60 2.63 16.8 36.8 12.6 33.7 1.08 .65-1.81 .771 .94 .52-1.72 .846
94 ≥60 2.68 20.2 23.4 24.5 31.9
Difficulty sleeping 168 <60 2.70 9.5 32.1 37.5 20.8 .88 .59-1.32 .541 .64 .41-1.02 .058
147 ≥60 2.63 9.5 32.7 42.9 15.0
Feeling bloated 84 <60 2.39 22.6 32.1 28.6 16.7 .54 .29-.98 .042 .49 .24-.99 .046
63 ≥60 2.06 28.6 47.6 12.7 11.1
Problems with urination 56 <60 2.39 21.4 33.9 28.6 16.1 1.52 .84-2.73 .164 1.29 .68-2.46 .438
119 ≥60 2.61 11.8 33.6 37.0 17.6
Vomiting 46 <60 1.87 39.1 41.3 13.0 6.5 .85 .38-1.93 .705 .46 .15-1.38 .165
36 ≥60 1.81 44.4 36.1 13.9 5.6
Shortness of breath 99 <60 2.17 19.2 52.5 20.2 8.1 1.30 .78-2.14 .311 .97 .55-1.70 .916
106 ≥60 2.35 25.5 34.0 20.8 19.8
Diarrhea 57 <60 2.12 22.8 47.4 24.6 5.3 .56 .29-1.10 .094 .47 .21-1.03 .059
72 ≥60 1.89 29.2 55.6 12.5 2.8
Feeling sad 137 <60 2.05 28.5 42.3 24.8 4.4 .99 .62-1.59 .978 .79 .46-1.36 .386
103 ≥60 2.08 27.2 47.6 15.5 9.7
Sweats 119 <60 2.39 16.8 37.0 36.1 10.1 .66 .41-1.07 .093 .64 .37-1.12 .121
103 ≥60 2.21 22.3 44.7 22.3 10.7
Worrying 152 <60 2.41 9.9 52.0 25.0 13.2 .59 .36-.94 .028 .63 .37-1.08 .094
106 ≥60 2.20 22.6 48.1 16.0 13.2
Problems with sexual interest 93 <60 2.86 15.1 23.7 21.5 39.8 1.07 .61-1.86 .821 1.04 .53-2.02 .916
74 ≥60 2.89 17.6 17.6 23.0 41.9
Itching 90 <60 2.38 14.4 46.7 25.6 13.3 .72 .41-1.27 .254 .71 .38-1.33 .289
76 ≥60 2.21 23.7 40.8 26.3 9.2
Lack of appetite 100 <60 2.44 18.0 39.0 24.0 19.0 1.44 .88-2.38 .149 1.16 .66-2.05 .598
101 ≥60 2.64 18.8 24.8 29.7 26.7
Dizziness 71 <60 1.82 39.4 40.8 18.3 1.4 .96 .52-1.78 .902 .78 .38-1.61 .502
70 ≥60 1.81 38.6 45.7 11.4 4.3
Difficulty swallowing 43 <60 2.23 30.2 32.6 20.9 16.3 .87 .41-1.81 .701 .56 .23-1.38 .207
50 ≥60 2.14 32.0 34.0 22.0 12.0
Feeling irritable 136 <60 1.99 30.1 44.1 22.1 3.7 .78 .48-1.25 .300 .67 .38-1.17 .161
105 ≥60 1.88 33.3 47.6 17.1 1.9
Mouth sores 39 <60 2.21 38.5 28.2 7.7 25.6 .73 .33-1.63 .447 .75 .29-1.93 .553
42 ≥60 2.02 47.6 23.8 7.1 21.4
Change in way food tastes 80 <60 2.54 17.5 31.3 31.3 20.0 1.11 .65-1.88 .709 1.16 .65-2.08 .616
98 ≥60 2.60 16.3 33.7 23.5 26.5
Weight loss 59 <60 2.07 22.0 55.9 15.3 6.8 .76 .40-1.44 .400 .56 .27-1.16 .120
75 ≥60 1.99 34.7 41.3 14.7 9.3
Hair loss 62 <60 2.85 16.1 22.6 21.0 40.3 1.02 .53-1.95 .953 .89 .43-1.84 .745
60 ≥60 2.85 21.7 15.0 20.0 43.3
Constipation 89 <60 2.53 14.6 40.4 22.5 22.5 .82 .49-1.38 .455 .87 .49-1.53 .626
102 ≥60 2.42 15.7 45.1 20.6 18.6
Swelling of arms or legs 43 <60 2.67 23.3 23.3 16.3 37.2 1.04 .51-2.15 .906 .91 .39-2.12 .832
54 ≥60 2.70 24.1 20.4 16.7 38.9
I don’t look like myself 92 <60 2.67 15.2 29.3 28.3 27.2 .79 .45-1.39 .420 .84 .45-1.57 .587
69 ≥60 2.54 20.3 27.5 30.4 21.7
Changes in skin 100 <60 2.77 15.0 24.0 30.0 31.0 .69 .39-1.20 .188 .97 .52-1.82 .929
67 ≥60 2.54 23.9 25.4 23.9 26.9
  1. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
  2. †Frequency ratings = rarely (1), occasionally (2), frequently (3), almost constantly (4).
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