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Table 2 Baseline characteristics among patients with unimproved versus improved work status

From: Baseline characteristics in female cancer patients with unimproved work status after an outpatient rehabilitation program and health changes during the intervention

 

Improved (N = 68)

Unimproved (N = 38)

p value

Demographic variables

Age at survey, years (mean SD)

50.0 (7.8)

46.7 (9.2)

0.13

In paired relations (n %)

48 (71)

34 (90)

0.03

Having children living at home (n %)

26 (38)

22 (58)

0.05

High level of education (>13 years) (n %)

37 (54)

26 (68)

0.16

Cancer-related variables

Months since diagnosis (mean SD)

15.5 (5.6)

16.2 (5.4)

0.55

Cancer diagnoses (n %)

 Breast

42 (62)

22 (58)

0.56

 Gynaecological

21 (31)

12 (32)

 

 Lymphoma

4 (6)

3 (8)

 

 Oesophagus

1 (1)

1 (2)

 

Treatment modalities (n %)

 Surgery

56 (82)

30 (79)

0.67

 Chemotherapy

50 (74)

29 (76)

0.75

 Radiotherapy

50 (74)

29 (76)

0.75

 Combinations

28 (41)

17 (45)

0.72

Co-morbidity and lifestyle variables

Being obese (BMI ≥30) (n %)

12 (18)

3 (8)

0.17

Somatic comorbidity (n %)

7 (10)

3 (8)

0.69

Musculoskeletal comorbidity (n %)

13 (34)

19 (28)

0.50

Daily smokers (n %)

4 (6)

5 (14)

0.20

Physical activity index (mean SD)

5.3 (1.8)

5.1 (1.7)

0.54

EORTC QLQ-C30 functions (mean SD)

Physical functioning (PF)

79.7 (14.9)

75.7 (14.5)

0.21

Role functioning (RF)

54.0 (27.0)

46.1 (30.1)

0.08

Emotional functioning (EF)

73.9 (16.7)

68.9 (21.2)

0.31

Cognitive functioning (CF)

75.4 (18.4)

71.9 (19.4)

0.25

Social functioning (SF)

61.7 (21.9)

57.9 (25.3)

0.53

Global health and quality of life (GQL)

60.7 (17.3)

55.3 (16.5)

0.09

EORTC QLQ-C30 symptoms (mean SD)

Fatigue

45.6 (24.0)

58.2 (26.4)

0.01

Nausea/vomiting

5.6 (10.6)

8.8 (13.3)

0.11

Pain

30.1 (28.3)

32.5 (30.9)

0.68

Dyspnea

26.4 (26.3)

22.8 (24.6)

0.53

Sleep problems

37.8 (34.8)

34.5 (27.4)

0.50

Appetite loss

11.9 (22.2)

15.8 (26.6)

0.40

Constipation

18.7 (26.9)

18.4 (31.7)

0.92

Diarrhea

17.2 (31.7)

18.4 (26.5)

0.68

Financial problems

7.5 (18.2)

15.8 (29.8)

0.06

Fatigue Questionnaire

Physical fatigue (P-Fat) (mean SD)

13.0 (3.4)

14.4 (3.2)

0.04

Mental fatigue (M-Fat) (mean SD)

6.1 (1.8)

6.0 (1.9)

0.93

Total fatigue (T-Fat) (mean SD)

19.0 (4.6)

20.5 (4.2)

0.13

Chronic fatigue (n %)

19 (29)

13 (35)

0.73

  1. Italic: p values <0.05 were considered significant
  2. SD standard deviation, n number, BMI body mass index, EORTC QLQ-C30 European Organization for Research and Treatment Core Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30