Skip to main content

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).
Back to article page

BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

Contact us