Table 2 Factors affecting physicians’ decision for treatment of geriatric patients
Factor | Number of physicians listing as the most important single factor | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Performance status | 30 | 53% |
Type of Cancer | 13 | 23% |
Patient’s decision | 6 | 11% |
Age | 3 | 5% |
Factor | Number of physicians listing as one of the top 5 factors | Percentage |
Performance status | 54 | 95% |
Co-morbidities | 43 | 75% |
Type of Cancer | 43 | 75% |
Stage of Cancer | 43 | 75% |
Patient’s decision | 30 | 53% |
Age | 29 | 51% |
Will physicians be less inclined to treat the patients if they were older? | ||
Yes | 41 | 72% |
No | 16 | 28% |
Age Threshold for treatment (amongst physicians who were less inclined to treat older patients, n = 41) | ||
65–74 years old | 8 | 20% |
75–84 years old | 14 | 34% |
85 years old and above | 19 | 46% |