Table 3.
Adjusted Mean FACT HRQOL Scores Stratified by Significant Predictors
| Demographic or Clinical Characteristic | Physical Well-Being mean (se) | Emotional Well-Being mean (se) | Social Well-Being mean (se) | Functional Well-Being mean (se) | H&N Cancer mean (se) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race‡ | * | ** | |||
| African American | 23.10(1.37) | 20.39(0.72) | 22.32(0.73) | 16.05(1.39) | 20.34(1.21) |
| Non-Hisp. White | 20.91(1.08) | 18.17(0.49) | 22.93(0.50) | 16.10(1.12) | 20.22(0.87) |
| Income | † | ||||
| $0 to < $20,000 | 19.34(0.59) | 21.93(0.59) | 20.85(1.06) | ||
| $20,000 + | 19.23(0.65) | 23.31(0.61) | 19.72(1.04) | ||
| Race x Income | ** | * | |||
| Af-Am < $20,000 | 21.43(0.79) | 21.99(1.31) | |||
| Af-Am ≥ $20,000 | 19.35(1.12) | 18.68(1.72) | |||
| White < $20,000 | 17.25(0.74) | 19.70(1.23) | |||
| White ≥ $20,000 | 19.10(0.51) | 20.75(0.82) | |||
| # supported in house | * | † | * | ||
| 1 to 3 individuals | 23.36(1.05) | 17.03(1.05) | 21.57(0.81) | ||
| 4 or more individ. | 20.66(1.46) | 15.12(1.51) | 18.99(1.32) | ||
| Age (years) | * | ||||
| < 50 | 20.30(1.17) | ||||
| 50–64 | 19.90(1.12) | ||||
| 65–74 | 22.77(1.49) | ||||
| 75+ | 25.07(1.94) | ||||
| Sex | not a significant predictor | ||||
| Education level | * | * | |||
| High school or less | 20.29(1.21) | 18.79(0.91) | |||
| Some college | 22.75(1.32) | 20.16(1.11) | |||
| College degree + | 22.99(1.40) | 21.89(1.37) | |||
| Marital Status | * | ||||
| Living alone | 21.91(0.63) | ||||
| Living w/spouse | 23.33(0.55) | ||||
| Health insurance | † | * | |||
| None | 23.39(1.69) | 14.01(1.70) | |||
| Private | 23.27(1.38) | 18.21(1.22) | |||
| Government | 20.37(1.15) | 16.28(1.22) | |||
| Multiple | 21.00(1.61) | 15.79(1.79) | |||
| Tobacco use | † | * | * | ||
| Never smoked | 23.71(1.49) | 20.36(0.89) | 16.14(1.57) | ||
| Former smoker | 22.61(1.26) | 19.98(0.69) | 17.67(1.32) | ||
| Recently quit | 21.27(1.32) | 18.68(0.65) | 16.17(1.33) | ||
| Current smoker | 20.44(1.32) | 18.11(0.65) | 14.32(1.33) | ||
| Alcohol Use | † | ||||
| Never drank | 22.75(1.03) | ||||
| Former drinker | 22.66(0.58) | ||||
| Recently quit | 23.70(0.70) | ||||
| Current drinker | 21.38(0.70) | ||||
| Body mass index | not a significant predictor | ||||
| Comorbid condition | † | * | * | * | |
| 0 | 19.87(0.57) | 23.34(0.59) | 17.24(1.20) | 21.32(0.99) | |
| 1+ | 18.70(0.58) | 21.90(0.56) | 14.91(1.27) | 19.24(1.01) | |
| Cancer type | † | † | |||
| Oral | 20.08(0.55) | 22.86(0.55) | |||
| Laryngeal | 18.76(0.59) | 21.50(0.59) | |||
| Pharyngeal | 19.02(0.92) | 23.50(0.99) | |||
| Stage of cancer | * | * | ** | ||
| I | 23.31(0.71) | 18.69(1.39) | 23.62(1.18) | ||
| II | 24.35(0.88) | 16.27(1.53) | 20.28(1.36) | ||
| III | 20.62(0.89) | 13.45(1.54) | 18.76(1.37) | ||
| IV | 22.20(0.58) | 15.89(1.27) | 18.46(1.05) | ||
| Time (dx. to survey) | * | * | |||
| 0 to ≤ 6 months | 20.26(0.88) | 14.49(0.90) | |||
| > 6 mo to ≤ 12 mo | 23.21(1.47) | 18.77(1.58) | |||
| > 12 months | 22.55(2.06) | 14.96(2.16) | |||
| Lymph nodes | not a significant predictor | ||||
| Angiolympatic invasion | not a significant predictor | ||||
| Feeding tube | ** | ** | ** | ||
| No | 24.32(1.12) | 17.97(1.15) | 23.27(0.89) | ||
| Yes | 19.70(1.33) | 14.18(1.38) | 17.29(1.20) | ||
| Received radiation | ** | ** | ** | ||
| No | 24.04(1.36) | 17.85(1.42) | 22.95(1.21) | ||
| Yes | 19.97(1.06) | 14.30(1.10) | 17.62(0.86) | ||
| Received surgery | not a significant predictor | ||||
| Received chemo. | not a significant predictor | ||||
Note: Adjusted mean scores are only provided for variables significantly related to the outcome measure (** p < .01, * p < .05; †p < .10). Final model was obtained based on backward variable selection procedure. Higherscores on all FACT scales represent better health-related quality of life.
‡
The race variable was kept in the model even if it was non-significant.