Quality of life in rectal cancer patients after radical surgery: a survey of Chinese patients

Table 3 Impact of sociodemographic characteristics on HRQoL scores measured by QLQ-CR38 for patients who underwent radical surgery for rectal cancer

Variable	n	BI	SEF	SEE	FU	GI^a	DF^a,b	STO^a,b
Age
Young (<45 years)	24	89 (67 to 100)	67 (33 to 67)	67 (33 to 67)	67 (33 to 92)	7 (0 to 13)	10 (5 to 24)	43 (24 to 70)
Middle age (45 to 60 years)	77	89 (67 to 100)	33 (0 to 67)	33 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	7 (0 to 13)	10 (0 to 26)	31 (11 to 54)
Old (≥60 years)	168	78 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 33)	0 (0 to 33)	67 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 13)	14 (5 to 24)	33 (11 to 43)
P value		0.452	0.000	0.000	0.044	0.557	0.940	0.446
Sex
Male	171	83 (67 to 100)	33 (0 to 67)	33 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 13)	10 (5 to 24)	33 (14 to 43)
Female	98	89 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 50)	0 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	7 (0 to 20)	12 (5 to 24)	29 (13 to 50)
P value		0.350	0.022	0.036	0.157	0.029	0.814	0.585
Occupation
Working	120	89 (67 to 100)	33 (0 to 67)	33 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	7 (0 to 13)	12 (5 to 24)	33 (14 to 54)
Not working	149	89 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 33)	0 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 13)	10 (5 to 26)	33 (12 to 45)
P value		0.696	0.000	0.002	0.833	0.228	0.914	0.991
Education
Primary school or less	62	89 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 46)	0 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	7 (0 to 20)	14 (5 to 29)	14 (8 to 36)
Middle school	149	89 (67 to 100)	33 (0 to 67)	33 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	0 (0 to 13)	10 (5 to 24)	33 (14 to 42)
University or more	58	78 (67 to 100)	33 (0 to 67)	50 (0 to 67)	67 (67 to 100)	3 (0 to 8)	10 (5 to 24)	43 (24 to 71)
P value		0.425	0.042	0.018	0.539	0.225	0.677	0.048

Data presented as median (range). ^aFor a symptom scale/item, a high score represents a worse HRQoL; ^bdefecation scores concern only non-stoma patients, and stoma-related problems concern only stoma patients. BI, body image; DF, defecation problems; FU, future perspective; GI, gastrointestinal problems; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; SEE, sexual enjoyment; SEF, sexual functioning; STO, stoma-related problems.

ISSN: 1477-7819