Differences In Symptom Experience Research Articles

Age and gender differences in symptom experience and health-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients: a cross-sectional study.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an increasingly important patient-reported outcome in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). This study explored relationships between symptom prevalence and burden with HRQOL, and age and gender differences in symptom experience. Eligible Dutch KTRs transplanted in Leiden University Medical Center were invited for this cross-sectional study. HRQOL, and occurrence and burden of 62 symptoms were measured using validated questionnaires. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were used for investigating the associations of symptom experience with mental and physical HRQOL, and differences in symptom experience between genders and KTRs of diverse age groups. A total of 631 KTRs were analyzed; the mean (standard deviation) age was 61.3 (11.3) years, and 62% were male. The median (interquartile range) number of symptoms was 14 (7-22), with a burden of 20 (8-37; range 0-244). Per extra symptom, physical and mental HRQOL decreased [-0.41 (-0.50; -0.31) and -0.51 (-0.59; -0.42), respectively, P<.001]. Most occurring symptoms were bruises, tiredness, lack of energy, urge to urinate at night and dry skin. Sexual problems were considered most burdensome. Female KTRs reported more symptoms than men. Amongst others, younger KTRs experienced more (18-50>50-65≥65 years) feelings of depression and both female and younger KTRs reported higher symptom prevalence concerning changes in physical appearance. KRTs' symptom experience differed depending on gender and age, highlighting the need to develop tailored treatment strategies to reduce symptom experience and subsequently improve HRQOL.

Abstract 14607: Discharge Education Based on Teach-Back Method Improves Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is one of the most common causes of hospital readmission. Self-care is essential but challenging task in patients with HF, and self-care deficit is closely related to unplanned readmission and unnecessary health expenditure. Patient centered education using teach-back method (TBM) emerged as a key strategy to prevent patients’ adverse events by improving self-care. This study aims to evaluate the effects of TBM in patients with HF. Hypothesis: HEART program ® , a TBM-based discharge education, will significantly improve self-care, symptom experience, caregiver dependency, and unplanned healthcare utilization. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial in HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤50%. Before discharge, the experimental group (EG) received HEART program ® by a trained nurse, while the control group (CG) received usual discharge education. Measures were self-care (self-care maintenance; symptom-perception; self-care management), symptom experience, caregiver dependency at 7-days after discharge, and healthcare utilization (readmission; emergency room visit; hospital contact, etc.) at 1-month after discharge. Outcomes were analyzed with ANCOVA and Chi-squared test using SPSS program 25. Results: A total of 86 patients (EG = 40, CG = 46) completed the study (mean age 61±12 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction 30±9%; mean duration of illness 4 years; mean hospitalization day 8±7). Self-care (self-care maintenance, F =12.3; symptom perception, F =15.4; self-care management, F =6.0) in the EG significantly improved compared with the CG (all P s&lt;.01). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in symptom experience and caregiver dependency between the two groups (all P s&gt;.05). For healthcare utilization, only hospital contact via telephone was significantly different between the EG and CG (N=1 vs. 8; P =.032). Conclusions: This result indicates that discharge education based on TBM is an effective strategy to improve self-care ability, which could lead to reducing unplanned health expenditure in patients with HF. We suggest that healthcare providers implement TBM education for patients with chronic HF.

Abstract 11919: Differences in the Documentation of Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms in Electronic Health Records Between Patients With and Without Comorbid Heart Failure

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes burdensome symptoms that impact quality of life. One in four AF patients have comorbid heart failure (HF). Understanding whether comorbid HF impacts AF symptom experiences can guide interventions for symptom management. Objective: We aimed to investigate whether patients with AF and comorbid HF will have different symptoms compared to those with AF only. Methods: We used structured and unstructured data (i.e., clinical notes) from electronic health records of patients in a large, urban health system between 2010-2010. We created two cohorts: (1) AF only, and (2) AF and HF. We extracted symptoms from notes written immediately before a catheter ablation to treat AF because of high symptom enrichment in ablation consultation notes compared to general progress notes. To extract symptoms, we applied a natural language processing algorithm with high performance on the corpus of notes (precision=0.73, recall=0.93, F-score=0.81). A team of cardiologists and nurses with cardiology expertise chose 10 symptoms to evaluate. We used Chi squared tests to compare differences in the prevalence of documented symptoms between cohorts. We further characterized each cohort using the structured demographics data. Results: Patients with AF only (n=504) had a mean age of 65.1 (SD 10.5) years, 33.3% were documented as female, and 14.3% documented as non-White. Patients with AF and HF (n=575) had a mean age of 69.4 (SD 12.0) years, 38.8% were documented as female, and 23.5% documented as non-White. The HF and AF cohort had a significantly higher prevalence of 6 symptoms (Table 1). The AF only cohort had a significantly higher prevalence of one symptom (palpitations). Conclusions: There are clear differences in the prevalence of symptoms between cohorts, with HF patients experiencing greater symptom burden overall. Future work exploring differences, such as through symptom clusters, will further illuminate differences in symptom experiences.

Differences in symptom experience among patients with systemic sclerosis: a cluster analytic approach to identifying subgroups.

Symptoms of people who have SSc are heterogeneous and difficult to address clinically. Because diverse symptoms often co-occur and may share common underlying mechanisms, identifying symptoms that cluster together may better target treatment approaches. We sought to identify and characterize patient subgroups based on symptom experience. An exploratory hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis was conducted to identify subgroups from a large SSc cohort from a single US academic medical centre. Patient-reported symptoms of pain interference, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dyspnoea, depression and anxiety were used for clustering. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to examine the relative contribution of each variable across subgroups. Analyses of variance were performed to determine participant characteristics based on subgroup assignment. Presence of symptom clusters were tallied within subgroup. Participants (n = 587; 84% female, 41% diffuse cutaneous subtype, 59% early disease) divided into three subgroups via cluster analysis based on symptom severity: (i) no/minimal, (ii) mild, and (iii) moderate. Participants in mild and moderate symptoms subgroups had similar disease severity, but different symptom presentation. In the mild symptoms subgroup, pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance was the main symptom cluster. Participants in the moderate symptoms subgroup were characterized by co-occurring pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression and anxiety. Identification of distinct symptom clusters, particularly among SSc patients who experience mild and moderate symptoms, suggests potential differences in treatment approach and in mechanisms underlying symptom experience that require further study.

Perceived New Normal and Inner Strength on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the differences in symptom experience, inner strength, adherence, and quality of life (QOL) according to the perception of the new normal, and identify the factors related to the QOL of breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant hormonal therapy based on the theory of inner strength in women.Methods:This cross-sectional study recruited patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant hormonal therapy in the National Cancer Center. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, and patients were assessed using the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 2, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale 8, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Scale.Results:After the breast cancer diagnosis, the perception of the new normal showed a significant dependence on pill count and emotional and functional well-being. The hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the new normal, symptom interference, and inner strength after adjusting for age, time since diagnosis, and receiving chemotherapy were significant predictors of QOL in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. The model accounted for 47.8% of the variance in QOL.Conclusions:The theory of inner strength might be a potential pathway in health care to improve patients' QOL during long-term medication. The results of this study have both theoretical and applied implications. The findings can be utilized as evidence for developing an effective intervention that improves the QOL and adherence to adjuvant hormonal therapy of breast cancer patients.

Physical Symptoms, Unmet Needs, and Quality of Life in Thai Cancer Survivors after the Completion of Primary Treatment

Objectives:This study investigated physical symptoms, unmet supportive care needs, and quality of life (QoL) perception among different types of Thai cancer survivors who had completed first-line treatment.Methods:A cross-sectional study recruited breast, gynecological, colorectal, lung, and head and neck cancer survivors (n = 236) who were attending follow-up visits at a regional cancer hospital in central Thailand. Data were collected by the Physical Symptom Concerns Survey, the Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs Scale, and a single item measuring global QoL. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Welch's ANOVA were used for data analysis.Results:Cancer survivors generally perceived good QoL, with significantly low QoL for lung cancer survivors (P < 0.001). There were no differences in symptom experiences among the five cancer groups, except for pain, which was significantly higher in lung cancer survivors than in the other four groups. The most frequently reported symptoms across all groups were numbness in the hands/feet, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and pain. The top unmet supportive care need among all participants was related to concerns of cancer recurrence (44.5%). Head and neck cancer survivors reported the highest number of unmet needs among the five cancer groups.Conclusions:This study mapped the unmet supportive care needs in Thai cancer patients and showed that patients with head and neck cancer and lung cancer were strongly affected. A survivorship care plan focusing on managing physical symptoms and providing supportive and psychosocial care should be developed to meet the needs of each cancer survivor group and to enhance QoL after the completion of treatment.

Lifespan Development: Symptoms Experienced by Individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Associated Plexiform Neurofibromas from Childhood into Adulthood.

This secondary data analysis qualitatively identified salient concerns reported by individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1)-associated plexiform neurofibromas (pNFs) at different stages of development. Past literature has focused on overall symptomatology, but has not examined nuances in how these symptoms are experienced across developmental phases. Therefore, we aimed to identify commonalities and differences in symptom experiences across age groups to better assist individuals to adjust to symptoms across the lifespan. Thirty-one children, adolescents, and adults (age ≥ 5years old) and 15 parents participated in semi-structured interviews. Analyses focused on the following symptom categories: pain, social functioning, physical function impact, and stigma. Aspects of pain endorsed by all age groups included localized brief pain on contact with pNF and abnormal sensations; however, only adolescents and adults reported chronic pain and change in pain over time. Social functioning themes of limited activity participation, role limitations, and relationship impact were endorsed by all age groups, but differences emerged across age groups in the types of activity and role limitations, the type of relationship impact, and family planning concerns. All age groups described difficulty with mobility, but only parents reported problems with coordination and physical developmental milestones. While all age groups reported external stigma, internalized stigma was predominately endorsed by adults. While individuals in all age groups described pNF concerns related to pain, social function, physical function, and stigma, specific aspects of these symptoms differed across the developmental continuum. These findings can help assist individuals with pNF better transition to the next developmental phases.

Differences in symptom occurrence, severity, and distress ratings between patients with gastrointestinal cancers who received chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy with targeted therapy.

Approximately 28% of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers will receive targeted therapy (TT) because of the associated increases in survival. Only four studies have examined the symptom experience of these patients. To date, no studies have evaluated for differences in symptom occurrence, severity, and distress between patients who received chemotherapy (CTX) alone (n=304) or CTX with TT (n=93). Patients completed self-report questionnaires, approximately one week after they received CTX. A modified version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) was used to obtain data on symptom occurrence, severity, and distress. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to test for differences in symptom occurrence rates between the two treatment groups. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to test for differences in severity and distress ratings between the two treatment groups. Patients who received CTX with TT were significantly younger (P=0.009); were diagnosed with cancer longer (P=0.004); had a higher number of prior treatments (P=0.024); had metastatic disease, specifically to the liver (P<0.001); had a diagnosis of anal, colon, rectum, or colorectal cancer (CRC) (P<0.001); and were positive for detection of B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations (both P<0.001). In addition, CTX treatment regimens were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.001). After controlling for significant covariates, patients who received TT reported lower occurrence rates for lack of energy, cough, feeling drowsy, and difficulty sleeping (all, P<0.05). Patients who received TT reported lower severity scores for dry mouth (P=0.034) and change in the way food tastes (P=0.035). However, they reported higher severity scores for "I don't look like myself" (P=0.026). No differences in symptom distress scores were found between the two treatment groups. This study is the first to evaluate for differences in the symptom experience of GI cancer patients who received CTX alone or CTX with TT using a multidimensional symptom assessment scale. While between group differences in patients' symptom experiences were identified, both treatment groups warrant ongoing assessments to optimally manage their symptoms.

Older versus younger gynecologic cancer patients: Differences in symptom experience

Older versus younger gynecologic cancer patients: Differences in symptom experience

Specific and non-specific symptoms of colorectal cancer and contact to general practice.

To improve survival rates for colorectal cancer, referral guidelines have been implemented. First step in the diagnostic process is for the individual to recognize the symptoms and contact his/her general practitioner (GP) for evaluation. To determine (i) the prevalence of specific and non-specific symptom experiences indicative of colorectal cancer, (ii) the proportion of subsequent contacts to GPs, (iii) to explore the possible differences in symptom experience and contact to GPs between age and sex. A nationwide study of 100000 adults, aged 20 years and older, were randomly selected in the general population and invited to participate in an internet-based survey. Items regarding experience of specific and non-specific alarm symptoms of colorectal cancer within the preceding 4 weeks and contact to GP were included. A total of 49706 subjects completed the questionnaire. Abdominal pain was the most common specific alarm symptom (19.7%) and tiredness was the most common non-specific symptom (49.8%). The experiences of symptoms were more common among women and more common in the youngest age groups for both sexes. The symptom leading to the highest proportion of GP contacts was rectal bleeding (33.8%). When experiencing any combination of two specific alarm symptoms, the proportion who contacted a GP was less than 50%. The combination of a non-specific and a specific alarm symptom gave rise to the highest proportion of GP contacts. Although specific and non-specific alarm symptoms of colorectal cancer are common in the general population, the proportion of GP contacts is low.

The persistence of symptom burden: symptom experience and quality of life of cancer patients across one year

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to track the symptom experience in a sample of cancer patients, determine the persistence of cancer symptoms and symptom burden, and examine the relationship between symptoms and QOL over time. Five hundred forty-two patients provided longitudinal data, completing surveys over a 12-month period. Patients had breast, colorectal, gynecologic, lung, or prostate cancer with stage 1, 2, or 3 disease. Surveys included the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Scale and were administered every 3 months. Demographic and clinical information and comorbidities were collected from the tumor registry. The number and type of symptoms experienced by patients varied by cancer type, but about 90% of patients reported one or more symptoms--with prostate cancer patients reporting fewer symptoms and colorectal patients, more symptoms. Prostate patients also had the lowest symptom burden at every time point. Overall, symptom burden decreased over time, as did the Physical subscale for the MSAS. Quality of life was stable over time, except for physical well-being, which improved. Quality of life was negatively correlated with symptom burden at every time point. The differences in symptom experience by cancer type suggest that assessment and management of symptoms must be individually tailored or at least adjusted by cancer type. While symptom burden decreased over time, residual symptom burden was still noteworthy. As quality of life was persistently negatively correlated with symptom burden, the results suggest the need for comprehensive symptom assessment and management.

Does age influence the symptom experience of lung cancer patients prior to surgery?

ObjectivesOlder patients with lung cancer are less likely to be offered surgery then younger patients. Although higher preoperative symptom burden is associated with poorer postoperative outcomes, few studies have examined age-related differences in symptom experience of lung cancer patients prior to surgery. This study evaluated for differences in symptom occurrence, severity, and distress between older (≥65 years) and younger (<65 years) patients prior to surgery. Materials and methodsData were collected through chart review and a symptom assessment scale (i.e., Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS)) that evaluated multiple dimensions of 32 symptoms. Descriptive statistics were used to present demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate for age-related differences in each dimension of the symptom experience. ResultsA total of 270 patients completed the MSAS prior to surgery (113 younger and 157 older patients). Few age-related differences were found. When age differences were identified, older patients reported lower occurrence rates and lower severity and distress ratings. Cough, lack of energy, feeling drowsy and worrying was the four most common symptoms in both age groups. In the younger patients, feeling nervous was ranked fourth. Shortness of breath was ranked third by the older patients. The study confirmed the high occurrence rates for cough, pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and sleep disturbance found in previous studies. However, “new” symptoms were identified including feeling nervous, worrying, sweats, feeling bloated, and problems with sexual interest. These “new” symptoms were reported by over 40% of the patients. ConclusionsMeasurement of symptoms in lung cancer patients before surgery is important, because patients reported an average of 10 symptoms. Few age-related differences in the patients’ symptom experience were identified. Psychological symptoms were common and warrant consideration.

Differences in the Symptom Experience of Older Oncology Outpatients

ContextThe relatively low number of older patients in cancer trials limits knowledge of how older adults experience symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. ObjectivesThis study evaluated for differences in the symptom experience across four older age groups (60–64, 65–69, 70–74, ≥75 years). MethodsDemographic, clinical, and symptom data from 330 patients aged >60 years who participated in one Australian and two U.S. studies were evaluated. The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale was used to evaluate the occurrence, severity, frequency, and distress of 32 symptoms commonly associated with cancer and its treatment. ResultsOn average, regardless of the age group, patients reported 10 concurrent symptoms. The most prevalent symptoms were physical in nature. Worrying was the most common psychological symptom. For 28 (87.5%) of the 32 Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale symptoms, no age-related differences were found in symptom occurrence rates. For symptom severity ratings, an age-related trend was found for difficulty swallowing. As age increased, severity of difficulty swallowing decreased. For symptom frequency, age-related trends were found for feeling irritable and diarrhea, with both decreasing in frequency as age increased. For symptom distress, age-related trends were found for lack of energy, shortness of breath, feeling bloated, and difficulty swallowing. As age increased, these symptoms received lower average distress ratings. ConclusionAdditional research is warranted to examine how age differences in symptom experience are influenced by treatment differences, aging-related changes in biological or psychological processes, or age-related response shift.

Nausea, Pain, Fatigue, and Multiple Symptoms in Hospitalized Children With Cancer

To describe the prevalence, frequency, severity, and distress of multiple symptoms in hospitalized children with cancer and to examine the overall symptom scores and global distress in patients reporting nausea, pain, and fatigue. Descriptive design with repeated measures. Inpatient pediatric hematology-oncology unit. 39 inpatients (ages 10-17) diagnosed with cancer. Five-day data collection using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) Pediatric 10-18. Thirty-one symptoms included in the MSAS Pediatric 10-18. The most common symptoms (prevalence greater than 34%) were nausea, fatigue, decreased appetite, pain, and feeling drowsy. Differences in symptom experiences occurred in the presence of nausea, pain, and fatigue compared to days when they were not reported (p < 0.001). Prevalence of pain and fatigue symptoms decreased over the five days (p < 0.05), but not nausea (p > 0.05). Nausea, pain, and fatigue were among the most prevalent symptoms in hospitalized children with cancer; however, the most prevalent symptoms were not always the most severe or distressing. The presence of these symptoms significantly impacted symptom experience, including total burden of symptoms experienced by the child (i.e., global distress). Additional examination of symptom management is needed. Nausea and its related symptoms have received little attention and more effective interventions are warranted. Multidimensional scales and the use of handheld electronic devices to track symptoms may be used to provide a more comprehensive assessment and treatment of symptoms.

The Relationship Between Symptom Prevalence and Severity and Cancer Primary Site in 796 Patients With Advanced Cancer

Knowledge of differences in symptom experience between cancer sites may help better understand symptom pathophysiology. A total of 38 symptoms in 796 consecutive patients with advanced cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Symptom prevalence and severity were compared among the 12 primary site groups (PSGs) by the chi-square test. Pairwise comparisons determined which sites differed. Pain, fatigue, weakness, lack of energy, and anorexia had the highest overall prevalence but did not differ among PSGs. The 3 most common neuropsychological symptoms (insomnia, depression, and anxiety) also did not vary among PSGs. Nineteen (50%) symptoms varied significantly between PSGs, in prevalence (17), severity (14), or both (12). Nine of 17, 6 of 14, and 6 of 12 were gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptoms which varied by PSGs can be included in cancer site-specific symptom assessment instruments.

Symptom Clusters in Men and Women With Heart Failure and Their Impact on Cardiac Event-Free Survival

Because patients with heart failure (HF) experience multiple symptoms simultaneously, it is necessary to explore symptom clusters rather than individual symptoms to determine their impact on outcomes. Given gender differences in symptom experience, examination of potential gender differences in clusters is reasonable. The objective of the study was to compare symptom clusters between men and women with HF, differences in patient characteristics among symptom clusters, and the impact of symptom clusters on cardiac event-free survival. A total of 331 patients with HF recruited from HF clinics were included (35% were female and 62% were of New York Heart Association classes III/IV). Cluster analysis was used to identify symptom clusters between men and women based on ratings of distress related to 7 symptoms. Analysis of variance or chi test was used to compare characteristics of patient groups that were divided by the median split of total distress scores of each cluster. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine whether total scores of symptom distress in symptom clusters predicted time to first cardiac event. Two identical symptom clusters were identified in men and women: a physical symptom cluster composed of dyspnea, fatigue/increased need to rest, fatigue/low energy, and sleep disturbances and an emotional/cognitive symptom cluster composed of worrying, feeling depressed, and cognitive problems. Patients with higher distress from the physical symptom cluster were primarily females and of New York Heart Association classes III and IV (P < .05). Patients with higher distress from the emotional/cognitive symptom cluster were younger than those with lower distress (P < .05). The total symptom distress score in the emotional/cognitive cluster, but not the physical cluster, was an independent predictor of cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.37). Although distress for individual symptoms may differ between men and women, they both experienced identical symptom clusters. Only the emotional/cognitive cluster predicted a higher risk for a cardiac event. These results suggested that interventions should be developed that consider symptom clusters. Targeting patients who have high distress from emotional/cognitive symptoms may be particularly important as they may be most vulnerable for adverse outcomes.

Menopausal Symptoms Among Four Major Ethnic Groups in the United States

The purpose of the study was to explore ethnic differences in symptoms experienced during the menopausal transition among four major ethnic groups in the United States. This study was done via a cross-sectional Internet survey among 512 midlife women recruited using a convenience sampling. The instruments included questions on background characteristics, ethnicity-related factors, health, and menopausal status and the Midlife Women's Symptom Index. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant ethnic differences were found in the total number and severity of the symptoms. The most frequently reported symptoms and predictors of the total number and severity of the symptoms differed by ethnic identity. More in-depth cultural studies are needed to understand the reasons for the ethnic differences in menopausal symptom experience.

Age‐related differences in care receipt and symptom experience of elderly cancer patients dying at home: Lessons from the DEATH project

Background: Data on the differences between older and younger elderly cancer patients dying at home is sparse. To clarify age‐related differences in symptom experience and care receipt of elderly cancer patients at end‐of‐life, we conducted a subanalysis study of the Dying Elderly at Home (DEATH) project, a multicenter study of 240 elderly aged 65 and older dying at home.Methods: We assessed the frequency of symptom experience and end‐of‐life care receipt in home elderly patients during the last 2 days of their lives and evaluated the differences between younger elderly (aged 65–74) and older elderly (aged 75+) cancer decedents. The general practitioners were asked to fill out a questionnaire immediately after the death of study patients. A total of 66 younger and 51 older elderly cancer decedents were included in the analysis.Results: Coma and dementia were common among younger and older elderly patients. Older decedents were less likely to experience anxiety, but, after adjustment for baseline characteristics, this age‐related difference did not clearly appear. Older decedents were also less likely to receive opioids than younger decedents. There were no significant differences in volume of i.v. hydration between the two groups.Conclusions: Our results suggested that there were no differences in symptom experience and care receipt among older and younger decedents, except in opioid use, at end‐of‐life. These findings imply a similar need of end‐of‐life care for younger and older elderly cancer patients who opt for home death.

278: Gender differences in symptom experiences before and up to 6 months after lung transplant (LT)

278: Gender differences in symptom experiences before and up to 6 months after lung transplant (LT)

Factors influencing gender differences in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in childhood: The Tucson Children's Respiratory Study

Studies identified gender differences in diagnosed asthma, but the extent to which they can be attributed to differences in symptom experience and frequency rather than factors influencing diagnosis has not been established. We investigated prevalence of, and consultation for, asthma symptoms, as well as diagnosis and treatment in 533 boys and 556 girls enrolled in the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study, a population-based birth-cohort study. Questionnaires regarding respiratory symptoms and diagnoses were obtained at ages 2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16, and 18 years. Boys were significantly more likely than girls to experience both wheeze and frequent wheeze most years in the first decade of life. However, girls with symptoms were less likely than boys to see a physician (74.1% vs. 83.4%, P < 0.001) and to be labeled as having asthma (43.3% vs. 53.8%, P < 0.009), even after adjusting for symptom frequency. A difference in symptom presentation also appeared to influence diagnosis: nocturnal cough without frequent wheeze was more prevalent among girls, and was associated with reduced diagnosis of asthma. Among subjects who consulted a physician for wheeze, boys were significantly more likely than girls to have taken medication (81.5% vs. 73.5%, P < 0.01). The lag time between age at first wheeze and first use of medication among those consulting a physician for wheeze or asthma was greater for girls, especially among subjects with frequent wheeze (2.8 vs. 1.6 years, P < 0.005). These findings indicate that gender differences in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma cannot be explained completely by differences in symptom prevalence and frequency.