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Table 6 Differences in DISTRESS 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

Distress ratings† (%)

Unadjusted values

Adjusted values

Older age

Older age

0

1

2

3

4

OR

CI

p-value

OR

CI

p-value

Difficulty concentrating

147

<60

1.52

17.7

38.1

22.4

18.4

3.4

.71

.45-1.10

.124

.82

.50-1.34

.424

116

≥60

1.33

25.0

37.9

21.6

10.3

5.2

Pain

192

<60

2.01

6.3

32.3

29.2

19.3

13.0

.63

.43-.90

.012

.65

.43-.98

.041

183

≥60

1.69

15.8

32.2

26.2

18.0

7.7

Lack of energy

212

<60

2.04

8.5

26.4

30.2

22.6

12.3

.54

.39-.77

<.001

.57

.39-.83

.004

220

≥60

1.64

20.5

30.5

22.3

18.6

8.2

Cough

103

<60

1.39

29.1

28.2

24.3

11.7

6.8

.60

.37-.97

.037

.52

.29-.91

.022

112

≥60

1.07

42.9

25.0

19.6

7.1

5.4

Feeling nervous

102

<60

1.70

10.8

38.2

26.5

19.6

4.9

.51

.30-.87

.013

.57

.30-1.06

.075

85

≥60

1.33

23.5

40.0

22.4

8.2

5.9

Dry mouth

111

<60

1.45

22.5

37.8

20.7

9.9

9.0

.50

.32-.80

.003

.47

.29-.76

.002

133

≥60

1.05

42.1

29.3

15.8

7.5

5.3

Nausea

99

<60

1.84

12.1

32.3

29.3

12.1

14.1

.47

.27-.80

.006

.46

.25-.86

.015

81

≥60

1.37

33.3

29.6

13.6

13.6

9.9

Feeling drowsy

165

<60

1.39

21.2

39.4

23.0

12.1

4.2

.53

.36-.79

.002

.52

.34-.80

.003

167

≥60

1.07

40.1

31.7

13.8

9.6

4.8

Numbness/tingling in hands/feet

94

<60

1.40

21.3

39.4

20.2

16.0

3.2

.72

.43-1.21

.212

.84

.46-1.56

.586

91

≥60

1.25

33.0

33.0

16.5

11.0

6.6

Difficulty sleeping

166

<60

2.01

9.6

29.5

25.9

19.9

15.1

.61

.41-.92

.017

.54

.35-.86

.008

142

≥60

1.66

19.0

27.5

29.6

16.2

7.7

Feeling bloated

81

<60

1.85

16.0

24.7

27.2

22.2

9.9

.43

.23-.81

.008

.38

.18-.80

.011

56

≥60

1.30

19.6

42.9

26.8

8.9

1.8

Problems with urination

54

<60

1.57

24.1

25.9

25.9

16.7

7.4

1.21

.67-2.19

.530

.91

.47-1.76

.783

108

≥60

1.70

14.8

32.4

31.5

10.2

11.1

Vomiting

43

<60

1.63

23.3

32.6

16.3

14.0

14.0

.78

.34-1.79

.553

.58

.21-1.62

.298

30

≥60

1.43

33.3

20.0

26.7

10.0

10.0

Shortness of breath

97

<60

1.63

14.4

41.2

21.6

12.4

10.3

.79

.48-1.30

.347

.80

.46-1.39

.427

100

≥60

1.47

28.0

26.0

24.0

15.0

7.0

Diarrhea

54

<60

1.59

18.5

38.9

14.8

20.4

7.4

.69

.36-1.34

.274

.61

.28-1.31

.204

63

≥60

1.32

25.4

33.3

30.2

6.3

4.8

Feeling sad

137

<60

1.87

8.0

36.5

27.0

17.5

10.9

.47

.29-.77

.003

.49

.28-.85

.011

94

≥60

1.41

14.9

46.8

24.5

9.6

4.3

Sweats

117

<60

1.75

17.1

29.1

28.2

12.8

12.8

.49

.30-.80

.005

.56

.32-.98

.040

95

≥60

1.26

24.2

40.0

24.2

8.4

3.2

Worrying

151

<60

1.93

7.3

34.4

28.5

17.9

11.9

.45

.28-.72

.001

.57

.34-.96

.033

101

≥60

1.46

8.9

53.5

23.8

10.9

3.0

Problems with sexual interest

91

<60

2.08

22.0

19.8

15.4

14.3

28.6

.96

.55-1.66

.875

.89

.46-1.73

.731

69

≥60

2.03

18.8

20.3

24.6

11.6

24.6

Itching

88

<60

1.56

15.9

40.9

25.0

8.0

10.2

.82

.46-1.45

.497

1.04

.55-1.95

.908

69

≥60

1.42

24.6

31.9

27.5

8.7

7.2

Lack of appetite

99

<60

1.38

27.3

31.3

24.2

10.1

7.1

.85

.51-1.41

.529

.85

.48-1.51

.589

96

≥60

1.28

32.3

29.2

21.9

11.5

5.2

Dizziness

69

<60

1.32

23.2

37.7

26.1

10.1

2.9

.84

.45-1.56

.572

.62

.30-1.29

.202

63

≥60

1.25

23.8

46.0

15.9

9.5

4.8

Difficulty swallowing

40

<60

1.65

10.0

40.0

30.0

15.0

5.0

.96

.44-2.09

.924

.85

.35-2.06

.724

43

≥60

1.63

20.9

27.9

23.3

23.3

4.7

Feeling irritable

135

<60

1.49

21.5

34.8

24.4

11.9

7.4

.79

.49-1.27

.335

.82

.48-1.42

.485

96

≥60

1.31

18.8

47.9

17.7

14.6

1.0

Mouth sores

36

<60

1.67

22.2

30.6

19.4

13.9

13.9

.46

.20-1.09

.079

.41

.16-1.03

.058

35

≥60

1.11

31.4

42.9

11.4

11.4

2.9

Change in way food tastes

78

<60

1.69

17.9

32.1

25.6

11.5

12.8

.47

.27-.81

.007

.57

.31-1.05

.072

89

≥60

1.18

32.6

36.0

14.6

14.6

2.2

Weight loss

61

<60

1.05

45.9

26.2

13.1

6.6

8.2

.67

.35-1.29

.232

.51

.24-1.09

.082

68

≥60

0.78

54.4

26.5

8.8

7.4

2.9

Hair loss

61

<60

1.74

19.7

29.5

21.3

16.4

13.1

.50

.26-.97

.041

.48

.23-.99

.048

55

≥60

1.29

43.6

20.0

9.1

18.2

9.1

Constipation

87

<60

2.09

13.8

23.0

25.3

16.1

21.8

.68

.41-1.14

.145

.74

.42-1.29

.285

95

≥60

1.80

23.2

25.3

15.8

20.0

15.8

Swelling of arms or legs

42

<60

1.64

28.6

23.8

19.0

11.9

16.7

.96

.46-2.01

.913

1.11

.46-2.67

.819

48

≥60

1.58

27.1

25.0

18.8

20.8

8.3

I don’t look like myself

91

<60

1.89

11.0

36.3

19.8

18.7

14.3

.32

.17-.58

<.001

.30

.15-.58

<.001

64

≥60

1.14

34.4

34.4

17.2

10.9

3.1

Changes in skin

99

<60

1.76

11.1

36.4

29.3

12.1

11.1

.41

.23-.76

.004

.51

.27-.98

.043

62

≥60

1.26

38.7

24.2

17.7

11.3

8.1

  1. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
  2. †Distress ratings = not at all (0), a little bit (1), somewhat (2), quite a bit (4), very much (5).