Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics of all patients and associations between the variables for the two groups

Age

52.9 (45.4–59.2)

53.3 (44.8–59.8)

52.2 (47–59.2)

Gender

 Male

147 (94.8%)

96 (96.0%)

51 (92.7%)

 Female

8 (5.2%)

4 (4.0%)

4 (7.3%)

Education

 Elementary school

16 (10.3%)

10 (10.0%)

6 (10.9%)

 Junior school

55 (35.5%)

35 (35.0%)

20 (36.4%)

 Senior high school

68 (43.9%)

47 (47.0%)

21 (38.2%)

 College

13 (8.4%)

6 (6.0%)

7 (12.7%)

 Research institute

3 (1.9%)

2 (2.0%)

1 (1.8%)

Marital status

 Married

119 (76.8%)

79 (79.0%)

40 (72.7%)

 Never married

23 (14.8%)

14 (14.0%)

9 (16.4%)

 Divorced

10 (6.5%)

5 (5.0%)

5 (9.1%)

 Widowed

3 (1.9%)

2 (2.0%)

1 (1.8%)

Religious affiliation

 Atheist

21 (13.5%)

14 (14.0%)

7 (12.7%)

 Taoism

83 (53.5%)

58 (58.0%)

25 (45.5%)

 Buddhism

40 (25.8%)

21 (21.0%)

19 (34.5%)

 Christianity

3 (1.9%)

1 (1.0%)

2 (3.6%)

 Other

8 (5.2%)

6 (6.0%)

2 (3.6%)

Employment status

 Full-time job

104 (67.1%)

69 (69.0%)

35 (63.6%)

 Retired

22 (14.2%)

14 (14.0%)

8 (14.5%)

 Part-time job

17 (11.0%)

8 (8.0%)

9 (16.4%)

 Unemployment

9 (5.8%)

6 (6.0%)

3 (5.5%)

 Housewife/househusband

3 (1.9%)

3 (3.0%)

0 (0.0%)

Monthly income(NTD)

 $20,000 or less

36 (23.2%)

21 (21.0%)

15 (27.3%)

 $20,001–$40,000

59 (38.1%)

39 (39.0%)

20 (36.4%)

 $40,001–$60,000

41 (26.5%)

23 (23.0%)

18 (32.7%)

 $60,001 or more

19 (12.3%)

17 (17.0%)

2 (3.6%)

Tumor stage

 0

2 (1.3%)

2 (2.0%)

0 (0.0%)

 I

31 (20.0%)

20 (20.0%)

11 (20.0%)

 II

39 (25.2%)

23 (23.0%)

16 (29.1%)

 III

21 (13.5%)

16 (16.0%)

5 (9.1%)

 IV

62 (40.0%)

39 (39.0%)

23 (41.8%)

Treatment

 Surgery

132 (85.2%)

88 (88.0%)

44 (80.0%)

 Chemotherapy

10 (6.5%)

6 (6.0%)

4 (7.3%)

 Symptom relief

12 (7.7%)

5 (5.0%)

7 (12.7%)

 Immunotherapy

1 (0.6%)

1 (1.0%)

0 (0.0%)

Time since diagnosis

 1–2 years

11 (7.1%)

6 (6.0%)

5 (9.1%)

    < 3 months

83 (53.5%)

60 (60.0%)

23 (41.8%)

 3 months–1 year

17 (11.0%)

10 (10.0%)

7 (12.7%)

   > 2 years

44 (28.4%)

24 (24.0%)

20 (36.4%)

 Recurrence (Yes)

41 (26.5%)

22 (22.0%)

19 (34.5%)

 Under anti-cancer treatment(Yes)

145 (100%)

96 (96.0%)

49 (89.1%)

Location

 Tongue

61 (39.4%)

37 (37.0%)

24 (43.6%)

 Buccal

44 (28.4%)

35 (35.0%)

9 (16.4%)

 Gum

26 (16.8%)

16 (16.0%)

10 (18.2%)

 Mouth

19 (12.3%)

11 (11.0%)

8 (14.5%)

 Lip

4 (2.6%)

1 (1.0%)

3 (5.5%)

 Oropharynx

1 (0.6%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (1.8%)

Suicidal ideation(Yes)

18 (11.6%)

16 29.1%

2 2%

Global health status/QoL

50.0 (33.3-66.7)

58.0 (41.8–75)

50.0 (17–58.3)

 Functional scales

69.0 (57-81)

77.2 (63.3–86.6)

59.4 (46.3–69.3)

  Physical functioning

73.3 (60-87)

80.0 (61.7–93)

67.0 (46.7–86.7)

  Role functioning

66.7 (33.3-100)

66.7 (33.3–100)

50.0 (33–100)

  Emotional functioning

75.0 (66.7-91.7)

83.3 (67–100)

66.7 (50–75)

  Cognitive functioning

83.3 (66.7-100)

83.3 (67–100)

66.7 (50–83.3)

  Social functioning

66.7 (33.3-83.3)

66.7 (50–83.3)

33.3 (33–66.7)

 Symptom scales

25.9 (16-35.8)

22.5 (12.7–31.3)

34.6 (24.1–41.4)

  Fatigue

33.3 (22.2-55.6)

33.3 (11.1–44.4)

44.4 (33.3–66.7)

  Nausea and vomiting

0.0 (0-16.7)

0.0 (0–16.7)

0.0 (0–16.7)

  Pain

33.3 (16.7-66.7)

33.0 (16.7–50)

50.0 (33.3–66.7)

  Dyspnoea

0.0 (0-33.3)

0.0 (0–33.3)

33.0 (0–33.3)

  Insomnia

33.3 (33-66.7)

33.3 (0–66.7)

33.3 (33–66.7)

  Appetite loss

0.0 (0-33.3)

0.0 (0–33.3)

33.0 (0–33.3)

  Constipation

0.0 (0-33.3)

0.0 (0–33.3)

33.3 (0–33.3)

  Diarrhoea

0.0 (0-33.3)

0.0 (0–33.3)

0.0 (0–33.3)

  Financial difficulties

33.3 (0-66.7)

33.0 (0–33.3)

33.3 (33–66.7)

Spiritual interests

3.8 (3.5-4.2)

4.0 (3.7–4.4)

3.6 (3.2–3.9)

 Related to beliefs

3.0 (2.6-3.6)

3.0 (2.6–3.6)

2.9 (2.4–3.3)

 Religion, positive attitudes toward life

4.0 (3.8-4.8)

4.3 (4–5)

3.8 (3–4)

 Love to/from others

4.0 (3.8-4.5)

4.0 (3.8–4.5)

3.8 (3.5–4)

 Seeking for the meaning of life

4.0 (3.7-4.3)

4.0 (4–4.7)

4.0 (3–4)

 Peaceful mind

4.0 (3.7-4.7)

4.3 (4–5)

4.0 (3.3–4.3)