Table 3 A: Associations between sex, age, smoking status, socioeconomic status, and barriers to contact to GP with prolonged coughing. B: Associations between sex, age, smoking status, socioeconomic status, and barriers to contact to GP with shortness of breath. C: Associations between sex, age, smoking status, socioeconomic status, and barriers to contact to GP with prolonged hoarseness.

From: A population-based study on social inequality and barriers to healthcare-seeking with lung cancer symptoms

Prolonged coughing

 

Too embarrassing

Worried about wasting the doctor’s time

Worried about what the doctor might find

Too busy

No barriers

 

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

Sex

          

 Men

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Women

1.32 (0.76–2.31)

1.24 (0.70–2.19)

1.23 (0.97–1.57)

1.20 (0.94–1.54)

1.25 (0.97–1.61)

1.33 (1.02–1.73)

0.85 (0.66–1.09)

0.87 (0.67–1.12)

0.71 (0.59–0.84)

0.69 (0.57–0.82)

Age

          

 40–54 years

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 55–69 years

0.70 (0.39–1.25)

0.73 (0.37–1.47)

0.92 (0.71–1.20)

0.83 (0.61–1.13)

0.76 (0.57–0.99)

0.89 (0.65–1.22)

0.46 (0.35–0.60)

0.58 (0.43–0.78)

1.60 (1.31–1.96)

1.46 (1.16–1.83)

 70+ years

0.38 (0.14–1.00)

0.46 (0.12–1.70)

0.48 (0.32–0.71)

0.36 (0.21–0.61)

0.47 (0.31–0.70)

0.80 (0.45–1.44)

0.18 (0.11–0.29)

0.35 (0.18–0.68)

2.62 (2.03–3.38)

2.17 (1.50–3.14)

Smoking status

          

 Never smoking

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Former smoking

0.32 (0.10–1.01)

0.37 (0.12–1.16)

0.69 (0.49–0.99)

0.74 (0.52–1.06)

1.18 (0.76–1.84)

1.28 (0.82–2.01)

0.81 (0.57–1.14)

1.05 (0.73–1.50)

1.20 (0.95–1.53)

1.04 (0.81–1.33)

 Current smoking

1.76 (0.91–3.43)

1.65 (0.83–3.25)

1.23 (0.92–1.64)

1.19 (0.89–1.60)

3.37 (2.34–4.84)

3.26 (2.26–4.69)

1.03 (0.77–1.39)

1.01 (0.74–1.37)

0.81 (0.66–1.01)

0.82 (0.66–1.03)

Educational level

          

 Low (<10 years)

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Middle (10–14 years)

0.87 (0.43–1.76)

0.81 (0.39–1.70)

1.31 (0.93–1.85)

1.28 (0.89–1.82)

0.73 (0.53–1.02)

0.66 (0.47–0.94)

1.49 (1.03–2.17)

0.99 (0.67–1.47)

0.79 (0.62–1.01)

0.95 (0.74–1.21)

 High (≥15 years)

0.65 (0.29–1.50)

0.68 (0.28–1.63)

1.09 (0.74–1.59)

1.10 (0.74–1.64)

0.77 (0.53–1.11)

0.79 (0.53–1.16)

1.51 (1.01–2.25)

0.94 (0.62–1.44)

0.58 (0.44–0.75)

0.68 (0.52–0.90)

Marital status

          

 Single

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Married/living together

1.01 (0.54–1.92)

1.23 (0.64–2.38)

0.98 (0.74–1.29)

1.00 (0.75–1.33)

0.82 (0.62–1.08)

0.89 (0.67–1.19)

1.10 (0.82–1.46)

0.97 (0.72–1.31)

1.11 (0.90–1.35)

1.17 (0.95–1.44)

Labour Market affiliation

          

 Working

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Pension

0.92 (0.46–1.84)

1.71 (0.67–4.34)

0.95 (0.72–1.24)

1.66 (1.15–2.38)

0.58 (0.43–0.79)

0.76 (0.50–1.16)

0.24 (0.17–0.34)

0.43 (0.27–0.68)

1.84 (1.52–2.23)

1.17 (0.89–1.54)

 Out of workforce

4.29 (1.78–10.36)

2.79 (1.10–7.09)

1.95 (1.17–3.26)

1.76 (1.04–2.97)

1.48 (0.86–2.55)

1.24 (0.70–2.18)

0.38 (0.18–0.80)

0.33 (0.15–0.69)

0.84 (0.53–1.33)

0.95 (0.59–1.52)

 Disability pension

3.30 (1.49–7.33)

3.17 (1.40–7.18)

1.22 (0.77–1.94)

1.20 (0.75–1.93)

1.21 (0.76–1.92)

1.03 (0.64–1.66)

0.35 (0.19–0.64)

0.38 (0.20–0.69)

1.72 (1.21–2.44)

1.69 (1.18–2.42)

Ethnicity

          

 Danish

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Immigrants/descendants of immigrants

4.32 (1.97–9.49)

3.48 (1.49–8.13)

1.42 (0.83–2.41)

1.24 (0.71–2.15)

1.42 (0.81–2.47)

1.34 (0.75–2.40)

1.63 (0.97–2.76)

1.62 (0.94–2.81)

0.68 (0.43–1.06)

0.76 (0.48–1.20)

Shortness of breath

 

Too embarrassing

Worried about wasting the doctor’s time

Worried about what the doctor might find

Too busy

No barriers

 

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

Sex

          

 Men

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Women

1.05 (0.57–1.94)

1.14 (0.61–2.15)

1.21 (0.89–1.64)

1.18 (0.86–1.61)

0.82 (0.61–1.11)

0.86 (0.63–1.17)

0.80 (0.60–1.07)

0.80 (0.59–1.09)

0.82 (0.65–1.02)

0.80 (0.64–1.01)

Age

          

 40–54 years

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 55–69 years

0.62 (0.31–1.24)

0.55 (0.23–1.32)

0.51 (0.35–0.72)

0.63 (0.42–0.95)

0.63 (0.45–0.88)

0.68 (0.46–1.00)

0.37 (0.26–0.52)

0.50 (0.34–0.73)

1.87 (1.46–2.41)

1.60 (1.20–2.15)

 70+ years

0.56 (0.21–1.47)

0.44 (0.10–1.99)

0.64 (0.41–1.00)

1.14 (0.53–2.45)

0.38 (0.23–0.64)

0.59 (0.27–1.26)

0.16 (0.08–0.29)

0.35 (0.14–0.86)

2.92 (2.12–4.00)

2.04 (1.25–3.32)

Smoking status

          

 Never smoking

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Former smoking

0.95 (0.32–2.85)

1.08 (0.35–3.28)

0.67 (0.46–0.99)

0.78 (0.52–1.16)

1.00 (0.64–1.56)

1.15 (0.73–1.82)

0.71 (0.49–1.02)

0.97 (0.66–1.43)

1.19 (0.91–1.57)

0.98 (0.73–1.30)

 Current smoking

4.53 (1.86–11.03)

4.73 (1.93–11.61)

1.05 (0.73–1.52)

1.09 (0.75–1.58)

3.34 (2.26–4.95)

3.40 (2.28–5.06)

1.03 (0.73–1.46)

1.16 (0.81–1.68)

1.00 (0.75–1.33)

0.98 (0.73–1.31)

Educational level

          

 Low (<10 years)

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Middle (10–14 years)

1.50 (0.57–3.97)

1.51 (0.55–4.13)

0.98 (0.64–1.48)

0.78 (0.50–1.22)

0.86 (0.58–1.27)

0.73 (0.48–1.12)

1.92 (1.20–3.08)

1.11 (0.67–1.84)

0.63 (0.47–0.85)

0.82 (0.60–1.13)

 High (≥15 years)

1.63 (0.57–4.69)

1.93 (0.64–5.80)

0.89 (0.55–1.44)

0.69 (0.42–1.15)

0.66 (0.41–1.05)

0.61 (0.37–1.02)

1.99 (1.19–3.32)

1.09 (0.63–1.89)

0.39 (0.27–0.56)

0.51 (0.35–0.74)

Marital status

          

 Single

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Married/living together

0.67 (0.36–1.27)

0.79 (0.41–1.53)

0.94 (0.67–1.31)

0.95 (0.68–1.34)

0.87 (0.63–1.20)

0.96 (0.68–1.34)

1.25 (0.90–1.74)

1.09 (0.77–1.53)

1.09 (0.86–1.40)

1.20 (0.93–1.54)

Labour Market affiliation

          

 Working

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Pension

0.89 (0.42–1.89)

1.95 (0.59–6.43)

0.60 (0.41–0.88)

0.62 (0.33–1.20)

0.48 (0.32–0.71)

0.76 (0.42–1.39)

0.18 (0.11–0.29)

0.37 (0.19–0.72)

2.46 (1.90–3.18)

1.58 (1.08–2.31)

 Out of workforce

1.77 (0.59–5.27)

1.19 (0.39–3.68)

1.25 (0.69–2.26)

1.05 (0.57–1.94)

0.94 (0.50–1.76)

0.73 (0.38–1.40)

0.35 (0.16–0.74)

0.29 (0.13–0.62)

1.23 (0.75–2.02)

1.32 (0.80–2.18)

 Disability pension

1.50 (0.60–3.77)

1.38 (0.53–3.57)

0.84 (0.50–1.42)

0.91 (0.53–1.56)

1.21 (0.77–1.91)

1.11 (0.69–1.79)

0.21 (0.11–0.43)

0.23 (0.12–0.47)

1.77 (1.22–2.58)

1.62 (1.10–2.38)

Ethnicity

          

 Danish

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Immigrants/descendants of immigrants

2.44 (0.93–6.41)

2.15 (0.78–5.91)

2.05 (1.18–3.58)

1.73 (0.98–3.07)

1.33 (0.72–2.42)

1.20 (0.63–2.26)

1.71 (0.98–2.98)

1.57 (0.87–2.83)

0.85 (0.52–1.41)

1.01 (0.60–1.69)

Prolonged hoarseness

 

Too embarrassing

Worried about wasting the doctor’s time

Worried about what the doctor might find

Too busy

No barriers

 

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdja (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

ORcrude (95% CI)

ORAdj.a (95% CI)

Sex

          

 Men

1

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Women

0.63 (0.26–1.53)

–

0.88 (0.61–1.26)

1.29 (0.81–2.04)

1.23 (0.77–1.97)

0.77 (0.53–1.11)

0.70 (0.47–1.03)

0.80 (0.61–1.03)

0.85 (0.64–1.11)

0.88 (0.61–1.26)

Age

          

 40–54 years

1

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 55–69 years

0.87 (0.32–2.36)

–

0.76 (0.51–1.12)

0.79 (0.50–1.25)

0.70 (0.41–1.18)

0.72 (0.39–1.31)

0.43 (0.29–0.64)

0.61 (0.39–0.96)

1.98 (1.44–2.72)

1.75 (1.22–2.51)

 70+ years

0.80 (0.25–2.55)

–

0.50 (0.31–0.83)

0.54 (0.26–1.12)

0.65 (0.35–1.20)

0.76 (0.29–2.01)

0.22 (0.13–0.39)

0.67 (0.27–1.61)

2.90 (2.02–4.16)

2.26 (1.31–3.90)

Smoking status

          

 Never smoking

–

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Former smoking

–

–

0.75 (0.49–1.13)

0.82 (0.54–1.25)

0.85 (0.48–1.51)

0.86 (0.48–1.55)

0.65 (0.42–1.00)

0.77 (0.49–1.21)

1.60 (1.17–2.17)

1.40 (1.02–1.93)

 Current smoking

–

–

1.02 (0.65–1.59)

0.99 (0.63–1.57)

1.59 (0.90–2.81)

1.51 (0.84–2.70)

0.90 (0.57–1.42)

0.82 (0.51–1.33)

1.28 (0.91–1.81)

1.42 (0.99–2.04)

Educational level

          

 Low (<10 years)

–

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Middle (10–14 years)

–

–

1.54 (0.92–2.58)

1.35 (0.79–2.30)

1.38 (0.72–2.62)

1.37 (0.70–2.66)

1.99 (1.09–3.64)

1.36 (0.72–2.59)

0.56 (0.39–0.81)

0.69 (0.47–1.00)

 High (≥15 years)

–

–

1.44 (0.83–2.50)

1.17 (0.66–2.09)

0.94 (0.46–1.94)

0.93 (0.44–1.99)

2.61 (1.40–4.85)

1.51 (0.77–2.95)

0.35 (0.24–0.52)

0.47 (0.31–0.72)

Marital status

          

 Single

–

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Married/living together

–

–

1.05 (0.72–1.55)

0.99 (0.67–1.48)

1.01 (0.61–1.67)

1.05 (0.63–1.77)

0.90 (0.61–1.33)

0.69 (0.45–1.05)

0.97 (0.73–1.28)

1.12 (0.83–1.51)

Labour Market affiliation

          

 Working

–

–

1

1

–

–

–

–

1

1

 Pension

–

–

0.72 (0.49–1.04)

1.06 (0.61–1.82)

–

–

–

–

2.11 (1.59–2.79)

1.35 (0.90–2.03)

 Out of workforce

–

–

1.95 (0.92–4.12)

1.67 (0.77–3.62)

–

–

–

–

0.90 (0.44–1.83)

0.97 (0.47–2.01)

 Disability pension

–

–

0.61 (0.28–1.33)

0.59 (0.27–1.31)

–

–

–

–

2.03 (1.20–3.43)

1.89 (1.10–3.22)

Ethnicity

          

 Danish

–

–

1

1

–

–

1

1

1

1

 Immigrants/descendants of immigrants

–

–

3.15 (1.59–6.25)

2.86 (1.42–5.75)

–

–

3.13 (1.56–6.29)

3.24 (1.53–6.84)

0.63 (0.32–1.23)

0.71 (0.36–1.42)

  1. Bold indicates P-value < 0.05.
  2. aAdj.= Adjusted for possible confounders: age, smoking status, labour market affiliation, educational level, and ethnicity.
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