Table 1 Descriptive statistics of study variables and their association with unmet care needs for symptom management (N = 203)

Age

 < 60 years old

114 (56.2)

1.46 (3.02)

-1.83

0.068

 ≥ 60 years old

89 (43.8)

1.55 (2.48)

Sex

 Male

132(65.0)

1.73 (2.91)

-2.26

0.024

 Female

71(35.0)

1.07 (2.52)

Marital status

 Married

197(97.0)

1.50 (2.80)

-0.44

0.660

 Unmarried

6(3.0)

Level of education

1.33 (2.80)

 Lower than high school

119(58.6)

1.23 (2.30)

-0.81

0.418

 High school or higher

84(41.4)

1.88 (3.34)

Monthly household income

 ≤2000 RMB

41(20.2)

2.78 (3.84)

-3.08

0.002

 >2000 RMB

162(79.8)

1.17 (2.36)

Cancer diagnosis

 Lung cancer

106(52.2)

1.69 (2.93)

-1.54

0.124

 Colorectal cancer

97(47.8)

1.29 (2.63)

Cancer stage

 Stage I or II

18 (8.8)

1.61 (3.27)

0.07

0.966

 Stage III or IV

137 (67.2)

1.36 (2.59)

 Unclear

48 (24.0)

1.85 (3.14)

Comorbidities

 0

67(33.0)

1.14 (2.39)

-1.34

0.182

 ≥1

136(67.0)

1.67 (2.96)

Cancer metastasized

 No

45(22.2)

1.38 (2.34)

-0.17

0.868

 Yes

158(77.8)

1.53 (2.91)

Duration of chemotherapy

 ≤3 cycles

58(28.6)

1.41 (2.88)

− 0.21

0.835

 > 3 cycles

145(71.4)

1.53 (2.76)

Length of hospital stay

 3 days or less

152(74.9)

1.39 (2.52)

− 0.18

0.883

 More than 3 days

51(25.1)

1.82 (3.47)

Symptoms with unmet needs

 0

116 (57.1)

-

-

-

 ≥ 1

87 (42.9)

-

-

-