Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample (n = 25)
| Group 1 (n = 11) | Group 2 (n = 14) | Total survivors (n = 25) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | |||
| Female | 10 (91) | 13 (93) | 23 (92) |
| Age (years) | 53.1 ± 8.7 | 47.4 ± 10.4 | 49.9 ± 9.9 |
| <65 | 9 (82) | 12 (86) | 21 (84) |
| ≥65 | 2 (18) | 2 (14) | 4 (16) |
| Body Mass Index (BMI)a | 25.9 ± 3.3 | 25.7 ± 8.5 | 25.8 ± 6.6 |
| Marital status | |||
| Married/De facto | 7 (64) | 13 (93) | 20 (80) |
| Divorced | 1 (9) | 1 (7) | 2 (8) |
| Single | 3 (27) | 0 (0) | 3 (12) |
| Ethnicity | |||
| Caucasian | 10 (91) | 13 (93) | 23 (92) |
| Asian | 0 (0) | 1 (7) | 1 (4) |
| Other | 1 (9) | 0 (0) | 1 (4) |
| Education | |||
| Did not complete secondary schoolb | 4 (36) | 1 (7) | 5 (20) |
| Completed secondary school | 4 (36) | 4 (29) | 8 (32) |
| TAFEb | 1 (9) | 3 (21) | 4 (16) |
| Tertiary education | 2 (18) | 6 (43) | 8 (32) |
| Cancer | |||
| Breast | 10 (91) | 10 (71) | 20 (80) |
| Ovarian | 0 (0) | 2 (14) | 2 (8) |
| Colorectal | 0 (0) | 1 (7) | 1 (4) |
| Lung | 1 (9) | 0 (0) | 1 (4) |
| Brain | 0 (0) | 1 (7) | 1 (4) |
| Chemotherapy | 11 (100) | 14 (100) | 25 (100) |
| Surgery | 11 (100) | 14 (100) | 25 (100) |
| Radiotherapy | 6 (55) | 9 (64) | 15 (60) |
| Most common comorbid conditions | |||
| Overweight or obese (as above) | 5 (45) | 10 (71) | 15 (60) |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 1 (9) | 4 (29) | 5 (20) |
| Hypertension | 0 (0) | 3 (21) | 3 (12) |
| Impaired glucose tolerance | 0 (0) | 3 (21) | 3 (12) |
Data presented as n (%) or mean ± SD.
a
World Health Organisation BMI definitions: acceptable weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2) overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2) obese (30–39.9 kg/m2).
b
In Australia, students usually turn 18 years of age in their final year of secondary schooling. TAFE students are those who have finished secondary schooling/or left prior to completion who undertake vocational courses.