Lower Income, Smoking, Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities, and Higher Symptom Burden Influence the Occurrence of Cough in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct cough occurrence profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups.

Sample & Setting: Outpatients receiving chemotherapy (N = 1,338) completed questionnaires six times over two chemotherapy cycles.

Methods & Variables: Occurrence of cough was assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups with distinct cough occurrence profiles. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate for differences.

Results: Four distinct cough profiles were identified (None, Decreasing, Increasing, and High). Risk factors associated with membership in the High class included lower annual household income; history of smoking; self-reported diagnoses of lung disease, heart disease, and back pain; and having lung cancer.

Implications for Nursing: Clinicians need to assess all patients with cancer for cough and provide targeted interventions.