Background
Methods
Aim
Design
Setting and participants
Instruments
Symptoms in cancer patients
Symptoms in non-cancer patients
Demographic and clinical variables
Data collection
Ethical approval
Data analysis
Results
Demographics
Total sample (N = 200) | Cancer patients (N = 100) | Non-cancer patients (N = 100) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | N (%) | Mean (SD) | N (%) | Mean (SD) | N (%) | |
Age (years) | 81.1 (7.8) | 81.12 (7.5) | 81.02 (8.0) | |||
Gender | ||||||
Male | 99 (49.5) | 49 (49.0) | 50 (50.0) | |||
Female | 101 (50.5) | 51 (51.0) | 50 (50.0) | |||
Living status | ||||||
Married | 92 (46.0) | 53 (53.0) | 39 (39.0) | |||
Widow/widower | 81 (40.5) | 35 (35.0) | 46 (46.0) | |||
Unmarried | 27 (13.5) | 12 (12.0) | 15 (15.0) | |||
Living arrangements | ||||||
Living alone | 76 (38.0) | 35 (35.0) | 41 (41.0) | |||
Living with partner | 94 (47.0) | 53 (53.0) | 41 (41.0) | |||
Living with others | 30 (15.0) | 12 (12.0) | 18 (18.0) | |||
Pathology | ||||||
Cancer | 100 (50.0) | 100 (100.0) | ||||
Heart failure | 45 (22.5) | 45 (45.0) | ||||
Obstructive lung disease | 27 (13.5) | 27 (27.0) | ||||
Renal failure | 25 (12.5) | 25 (25.0) | ||||
Liver failure | 3 (1.5) | 3 (3.0) | ||||
Type of admitted ward | ||||||
Internal ward | 154 (77.0) | 82 (82.0) | 72 (72.0) | |||
Geriatric ward | 46 (23.0) | 18 (18.0) | 28 (28.0) | |||
Number of comorbidities | 2.1 (1.6) | 2.2 (1.6) | 2.1 (1.6) | |||
fTRSTa | ||||||
No risk profile | 25 (12.4) | 15 (15.0) | 10 (10.0) | |||
Geriatric risk profile | 175 (87.5) | 85 (85.0) | 90 (90.0) |
Difference in number of symptoms
Total sample (N = 200) | Cancer patients (N = 100) | Non-cancer patients (N = 100) | t | df | p-value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | ||||
All symptomsa | 17.28 (5.05) | 16.32 (4.80) | 18.23 (5.13) | 2.72 | 198 |
0.007
|
Physical symptomsa | 9.14 (3.22) | 8.58 (3.05) | 9.70 (3.30) | 2.49 | 198 |
0.013
|
Psychological symptomsa | 3.70 (2.48) | 3.73 (2.47) | 3.66 (2.44) | −0.20 | 198 |
0.840
|
Functional dependenceb | 169 (84.5) | 79 (79.0) | 90 (90.0) | 4.62 | 1 |
0.032
|
Difference in frequency of symptoms
Frequency | Intensity | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cancer patients (N = 100) | Non-Cancer patients (N = 100) | Wilcoxon Mann Whitney U-test | Cancer patients | Non-Cancer patients | Wilcoxon Mann Whitney U-test | |||||||||
Median(25–75 IQ) | Mean(SD) | Median(25–75 IQ) | Mean(SD) | Z | p-value | N | Median(25–75 IQ) | Mean(SD) | N | Median(25–75 IQ) | Mean(SD) | Z | p-value | |
Physical | ||||||||||||||
Lack of appetite | 2.0 (0.0–4.0) | 1.89 (1.69) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.48 (1.46) | −1.74 | 0.082 | 63 | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.83 (1.28) | 58 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.84 (0.97) | −0.40 | 0.692 |
Fatigue (physical) | 3.0 (2.0–4.0) | 2.53 (1.55) | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.30 (1.40) | −1.53 | 0.127 | 79 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.47 (0.92) | 79 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.47 (0.70) | −0.87 | 0.387 |
Pain (physical) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.66 (1.65) | 2.0 (0.0–4.0) | 1.98 (1.68) | −1.39 | 0.164 | 55 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.40 (0.76) | 64 | 3.0 (2.3–3.0) | 2.69 (0.61) | −2.30 |
0.021
|
Lack of energy | 3.0 (0.0–4.0) | 2.26 (1.69) | 3.0 (2.0–4.0) | 2.55 (1.49) | −0.98 | 0.325 | 68 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.43 (0.98) | 81 | 3.0 (3.0–3.0) | 2.70 (0.58) | −1.47 | 0.141 |
Nausea | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.59 (1.01) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.53 (0.96) | −0.19 | 0.851 | 27 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.41 (0.93) | 27 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.30 (0.99) | −0.39 | 0.699 |
Sleeplessness | 0.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.23 (1.53) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.61 (1.56) | −1.87 | 0.062 | 44 | 3.0 (1.3–3.0) | 2.18 (1.02) | 60 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.25 (0.97) | −0.28 | 0.781 |
Vomiting | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.32 (0.82) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.42 (0.90) | −0.76 | 0.448 | 15 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.47 (0.92) | 20 | 3.0 (2.3–3.0) | 2.70 (0.57) | −0.65 | 0.514 |
Dizziness | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.78 (1.12) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.76 (1.09) | −0.05 | 0.643 | 36 | 2.5 (2.0–3.0) | 2.17 (1.03) | 37 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.14 (0.86) | −0.55 | 0.586 |
Heartburn/belching | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.42 (0.93) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.39 (0.93) | −0.46 | 0.641 | 21 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.90 (1.04) | 18 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.94 (0.80) | −0.13 | 0.894 |
Tingling hand/ft | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.10 (1.61) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.11 (1.56) | −0.15 | 0.883 | 36 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.08 (1.05) | 38 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.45 (0.83) | −1.59 | 0.111 |
Difficulties concentrating | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.98 (1.48) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.81 (1.13) | −0.16 | 0.874 | 35 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.00 (1.11) | 39 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.46 (0.85) | −1.88 | 0.061 |
Sore mouth/pain when swallowing | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.50 (1.20) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.53 (1.11) | −0.57 | 0.566 | 17 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.47 (0.72) | 21 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.38 (0.92) | −0.05 | 0.960 |
Shortness of breath | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.59 (1.55) | 2.0 (1.0–4.0) | 2.34 (1.49) | −3.42 |
0.001
| 56 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.11 (1.00) | 81 | 3.0 (3.0–3.0) | 2.18 (0.95) | −4.15 |
< 0.001
|
Dry mouth | 3.0 (2.0–4.0) | 2.58 (1.35) | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.25 (1.36) | −1.85 | 0.065 | 85 | 2.0 (0.5–3.0) | 1.86 (1.23) | 80 | 2.5 (1.0–3.0) | 2.44 (0.64) | −1.49 | 0.138 |
Cough | 0.5 (0.0–2.0) | 1.09 (1.25) | 0.5 (0.0–2.0) | 1.18 (1.32) | −0.42 | 0.678 | 50 | 2.0 (0.8–3.0) | 1.88 (1.22) | 50 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.40 (0.89) | −1.94 | 0.052 |
Urinary incontinence | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.94 (1.28) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.91 (1.50) | −0.81 | 0.420 | 40 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.40 (1.01) | 30 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.47 (0.84) | −0.24 | 0.811 |
Faecal incontinence | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.29 (0.82) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.48 (1.07) | −1.22 | 0.222 | 13 | 3.0 (3.0–3.0) | 2.85 (0.38) | 19 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 1.86 (1.16) | −1.22 | 0.225 |
Itching | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.38 (0.94) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.62 (1.06) | −2.07 |
0.038
| 16 | 1.5 (0.3–3.0) | 1.69 (1.30) | 29 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.58 (0.56) | −0.45 | 0.650 |
Changes in food tasting | 0.0 (0.0–2.5) | 0.95 (1.67) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.95 (1.54) | −0.47 | 0.636 | 25 | 3.0 (1.5–3.0) | 2.36 (1.04) | 31 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.48 (0.66) | −0.14 | 0.892 |
Airway mucus | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.07 (1.39) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.46 (1.40) | −2.01 |
0.045
| 43 | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.93 (1.24) | 58 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.48 (0.66) | −1.82 | 0.069 |
Confusion | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.25 (0.73) | 0.0 (0.0–0.8) | 0.51 (0.93) | −2.46 |
0.014
| 11 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.09 (1.04) | 25 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.48 (0.77) | −1.09 | 0.274 |
Constipation | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.22 (1.44) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.47 (1.50) | −1.18 | 0.239 | 46 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.33 (1.01) | 55 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.09 (0.98) | −1.44 | 0.150 |
Diarrhoea | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.63 (1.17) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.60 (1.09) | −0.18 | 0.860 | 27 | 3.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.26 (1.10) | 26 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.50 (0.91) | −0.69 | 0.492 |
Weight lossa | 38 (38.0) | – | 41 (41.0) | – | 0.19 | 0.664 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Psychological | ||||||||||||||
Fatigue (psychological) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.54 (1.52) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.96 (1.39) | −2.78 |
0.005
| 56 | 3.0 (2.3–3.0) | 2.72 (0.57) | 38 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.32 (0.66) | −3.10 |
0.002
|
Pain (psychological) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.96 (1.37) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.57 (1.14) | −2.16 | 0.031 | 36 | 3.0 (3.0–3.0) | 2.72 (0.57) | 23 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.43 (0.73) | −1.73 | 0.084 |
Brooding | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.49 (1.42) | 2.0 (0.0–2.8) | 1.48 (1.41) | −0.08 | 0.940 | 57 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.51 (0.74) | 59 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.90 (0.90) | −3.83 |
< 0.001
|
Depressed mood | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.11 (1.24) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.09 (1.33) | −0.29 | 0.769 | 49 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.55 (0.68) | 46 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.30 (0.70) | −1.94 | 0.053 |
Lack of willpower | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.86 (1.22) | 2.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.91 (1.51) | −5.01 |
< 0.001
| 37 | 2.0 (1.5–3.0) | 1.97 (1.07) | 70 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.63 (0.57) | −3.39 |
0.001
|
Nervousness | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.27 (1.52) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.11 (1.31) | −0.55 | 0.582 | 48 | 2.0 (0.3–3.0) | 1.90 (1.21) | 48 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.00 (0.85) | −0.24 | 0.813 |
Tension | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.90 (1.31) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.93 (1.20) | −0.47 | 0.641 | 36 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.39 (0.84) | 42 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.12 (0.63) | −2.22 |
0.026
|
Anger | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.55 (1.04) | 0.0 (0.0–0.8) | 0.51 (0.96) | −0.03 | 0.978 | 24 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.50 (0.89) | 25 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.84 (1.14) | −2.29 |
0.022
|
Loneliness | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 0.92 (1.26) | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.13 (1.45) | −0.94 | 0.347 | 39 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.36 (0.87) | 44 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.39 (0.75) | −0.09 | 0.931 |
Fear | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.62 (1.14) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.37 (0.85) | −1.63 | 0.104 | 27 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.41 (0.89) | 18 | 2.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.28 (0.67) | −1.03 | 0.305 |
Functional | ||||||||||||||
Difficulties with self-care | 3.5 (0.0–4.0) | 2.32 (1.87) | 4.0 (2.0–4.0) | 2.89 (1.56) | −2.00 |
0.045
| 64 | 1.0 (0.0–2.8) | 1.23 (1.27) | 82 | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.67 (1.03) | −2.34 |
0.019
|
Difficulties with moving inside | 4.0 (0.0–4.0) | 1.35 (1.82) | 3.0 (1.0–4.0) | 2.45 (1.71) | −4.64 |
< 0.001
| 37 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.46 (0.96) | 77 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.38 (0.90) | −0.71 | 0.480 |
Difficulties with moving outside | 4.0 (0.0–4.0) | 2.40 (1.92) | 4.0 (3.0–4.0) | 3.23 (1.35) | −2.71 |
0.007
| 62 | 3.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.05 (1.25) | 89 | 3.0 (2.0–3.0) | 2.29 (0.96) | −0.87 | 0.384 |
Social | ||||||||||||||
Not feeling supported | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.40 (1.04) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.33 (0.80) | −0.09 | 0.927 | 16 | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.00 (0.00) | 16 | 0.0 (0.0–0.8) | 0.25 (0.45) | 0.04 | 0.239 |
Not satisfied with social life | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.04 (1.48) | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.45 (1.00) | −3.46 |
0.001
| 42 | 0.0 (0.0–0.3) | 0.26 (0.48) | 20 | 0.0 (0.0–0.8) | 0.30 (0.57) | −0.15 | 0.880 |
Existential | ||||||||||||||
Experiencing life as not meaningful | 0.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.21 (1.54) | 2.0 (0.0–2.0) | 1.35 (1.22) | −1.28 | 0.201 | 46 | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 0.15 (0.42) | 53 | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.53 (0.62) | −3.75 |
< 0.001
|