Skip to main content

Table 2 Group comparison of physically active and inactive patients

From: Fatigue, barriers to physical activity and predictors for motivation to exercise in advanced Cancer patients

 

All (%) (n = 141)

Physically Inactive (%)a(n = 110)

Physically active (%)a(n = 31)

RR (95% CI)

P-value

Patient Reported Barriers

 “I feel weakened due to my tumor therapy”

108 (76.6)

84 (76.4)

24 (77.4)

1.09 (0.52–2.27)

0.807

  Missing

4 (2.8)

4 (3.6)

   

 Tiredness/Insomnia b

101 (71.6)

78 (70.9)

23 (74.2)

1.18 (0.48–2.91)

0.524

“I think that PA could have a positive impact on my QoL”d

102 (72.3)

75 (68.2)

27 (87.1)

2.38 (0.90–6.4)

0.066

  Missing

3 (2.1)

3 (2.7)

   

Fatigueb

99 (70.2)

78 (71.6)

21 (67.7)

1.12 (0.58–2.17)

0.825

“I am Interested in an exercise program”d

75 (53.2)

51 (46.4)

24 (77.4)

2.79 (1.29–6.03)

0.007

Missing

5 (3.5)

5 (4.5)

   

“I was physically active before my cancer diagnosis”d

84 (59.6)

60 (54.6))

24 (77.4)

2.25 (1.04–4.85)

0.037

  Missing

2 (1.4)

2 (1.8)

   

  “I am motivated for PAd

66 (46.8)

40 (36.4)

26 (83.9)

5.56 (2.28–13.71)

< 0.001

  Missing

4 (2.8)

4 (3.6)

   

 Clinically significant depression e

40 (28.4)

34 (30.9)

6 (19.4)

1.65 (0.73–3.72)

0.262

 Fear of adverse events of PA

38 (26.9)

33 (30.0)

5 (16.1)

1.98 (0.82–4.79)

0.166

  Missing

7 (5.0)

6 (5.5)

1 (3.2)

  

Patient Related Barriers

  ≥ 2 Comorbiditiesc

92 (65.2)

79 (71.8)

13 (41.9)

1.71 (1.11–2.63)

0.003

 Overweight

60 (42.6)

49 (44.5)

11 (35.5)

1.01 (0.42–2.54)

1.000

  Missing

15 (10.6)

6 (5.4)

9 (29.0)

  

ECOG < 2

118 (83.7)

87 (79.1)

31 (75.6)

1.36 (1.22–1.51)

0.04

  Missing

9 (6.4)

9 (8.2)

   

 Age > 65 years

44 (31.2)

36 (32.7)

8 (25.8)

1.40 (0.57–3.43)

0.518

Tumor type (breast cancer vs. others)

28 (19.9)

17 (15.4)

11 (35.5)

3.0 (1.22–7.40)

0.02

  1. Abbreviations: CI confidence interval, CTx cancer therapy, ECOG Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group performance index. FACT-F Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Fatigue, PA physical activity, PHQ8 Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale, QoL Quality of Life, RR relative risk
  2. a Physically inactive = no physical activity at all; Physically active = at least 1 time/week with low Intensity
  3. b FACT-F Score ≤ 34: cut-off point for diagnosis of cancer related fatigue [32]
  4. c Comorbidities were classified in the following categories: Cardiovascular disease, Anemia, Orthopaedic disease, Thyroid gland disease, Pulmonary disease, Diabetes mellitus, Psychiatric disease, Polyneuropathy
  5. d The 5-point scale that was used during the survey was divided into two sections: ‘not at all`/`a little bit` were matched with `low motivation` or `no`; `somewhat`/ `quite a bit`/ `very much’ were matched with `high motivation’ or `Yes`
  6. e A PHQ8-Score ≥ 10 points to clinically relevant depression [35]