Table 3. Sociodemographic, Lifestyle, and Health Characteristics of Participants (N = 666) in Study on Cancer Worry Among Adults Aged 50 or Older, by Tertiles of Cancer Worry Scale (CWS)a Scores, Spain, 2012–2014b .
| Characteristic | CWS Score |
P Value for Linear Trend | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st tertile (≤7 Points), n (%) | 2nd Tertile (8–10 Points), n (%) | 3rd Tertile (>10 Points), n (%) | ||
| Age, y | ||||
| 50– 64 | 153 (65.4) | 162 (70.4) | 150 (74.3) | .04 |
| ≥65 | 81 (34.6) | 68 (29.6) | 52 (25.7) | |
| Rural or urban setting | ||||
| Rural | 49 (20.9) | 63 (27.4) | 71 (35.1) | .001 |
| Urban | 185 (79.1) | 167 (72.6) | 131 (64.9) | |
| Educational level | ||||
| No formal education or primary only | 161 (68.8) | 141 (61.3) | 147 (72.8) | .44 |
| Secondary or university | 73 (31.2) | 89 (38.79 | 55 (27.2) | |
| Marital status | ||||
| Single, divorced, or widowed | 51 (21.8) | 50 (21.7) | 33 (16.3) | .17 |
| Married or stable union | 183 (78.2) | 180 (78.3) | 169 (83.7) | |
| Form of cohabitation | ||||
| Living alone | 23 (9.8) | 22 (9.6) | 12 (6.0) | .17 |
| Living with spouse or other form of cohabitation | 211 (90.2) | 208 (90.4) | 187 (94.0) | |
| Social classc | ||||
| Classes I–IV | 63 (26.9) | 74 (32.2) | 53 (26.2) | .93 |
| Classes V–VII | 171 (73.1) | 156 (67.8) | 149 (73.8) | |
| Level of physical activityd | ||||
| High or moderate | 135 (57.7) | 155 (67.4) | 139 (68.8) | .01 |
| Low or inactive | 99 (42.3) | 75 (32.6) | 63 (31.2) | |
| Smoking habit | ||||
| Yes | 42 (17.9) | 46 (20.0) | 44 (21.8) | .32 |
| No | 192 (82.1) | 184 (80.0) | 158 (78.2) | |
| Alcohol consumption (hazardous drinker)e | ||||
| Yes | 8 (3.4) | 8 (3.5) | 6 (3.0) | .80 |
| No | 226 (96.6) | 222 (96.5) | 202 (97.0) | |
| Balanced dietf | ||||
| Yes | 89 (38.0) | 88 (38.3) | 71 (35.7) | .62 |
| No | 145 (62.0) | 142 (61.7) | 128 (64.3) | |
| Personal history of cancer | ||||
| Yes | 14 (6.0) | 18 (7.8) | 26 (12.9) | .01 |
| No | 220 (94.0) | 212 (92.2) | 176 (87.1) | |
| Family history of cancer | ||||
| Yes | 102 (43.6) | 108 (47.0) | 112 (55.4) | .015 |
| No | 132 (56.4) | 122 (53.0) | 90 (44.6) | |
| Number of health problems | ||||
| <3 | 183 (78.2) | 168 (73.0) | 126 (62.4) | <.001 |
| ≥3 | 51 (21.8) | 62 (27.0) | 76 (37.6) | |
| Charlson Comorbidity Indexg | ||||
| 0–2 points | 175 (74.8) | 190 (82.6) | 147 (72.8) | .70 |
| ≥3 points | 59 (25.2) | 40 (17.4) | 55 (27.2) | |
| Self-perceived health | ||||
| Very poor, poor, or fair | 42 (17.9) | 44 (19.1) | 84 (41.6) | <.001 |
| Good or very good | 192 (82.1) | 186 (80.9) | 118 (58.4) | |
| Functional limitationh | ||||
| Yes | 51 (21.8) | 43 (18.7) | 58 (28.7) | .10 |
| No | 183 (78.2) | 187 (81.3) | 144 (71.3) | |
| Locus of controli | ||||
| Internal | 160 (68.7) | 162 (70.4) | 115 (58.7) | .04 |
| Other | 73 (31.3) | 68 (29.6) | 81 (41.3) | |
| Social supportj | ||||
| Weak | 8 (3.5) | 7 (3.1) | 16 (8.1) | .03 |
| Normal | 223 (96.5) | 221 (96.9) | 182 (91.9) | |
Level of cancer worry was measured by the Spanish version of the CWS (2), made up of 6 questions with 4 response options (1 = not at all or rarely; 2 = sometimes; 3 = often; 4 = almost all the time), such that each individual attains a score ranging from 6 (minimum worry) to 24 (maximum worry).
Through simple random sampling, participants residing in 8 basic health areas in the Province of Albacete in southwest Spain were selected on the basis of health card data, which reflect all people entitled to health care under Spain’s National Health System.
Classes I and II = , higher-grade and lower-grade professionals, administrators and officials, managers, professions linked to university degrees; Classes III and IV = middle management and managerial staff, self-employed persons; Class V = , lower-grade skilled technicians; Classes VI and VII = semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
Measured by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (12).
Defined as consuming 280 g of alcohol per week (men) and 168 g per week (women).
Assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (Cuestionario de Frecuencia de Consumo de Alimentos) (13) in accordance with guidelines of the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (Sociedad Española de Nutrición Comunitaria).
Charlson et al (14).
Assessed with the EuroQol-5D questionnaire (15), which includes items on mobility, personal care, daily activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression.
Locus of control refers to the extent to which people believe outcomes are determined by what they do (internal control) or are determined by events outside their control (external control); assessed using the 9-item Font scale (16).
Assessed by the 11-item Duke–UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (17).