Life Satisfaction Among Cancer Survivors With and Without Smell and Taste Dysfunction: Evidence from the National Health Interview Survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chemosensory dysfunction is a common symptom experienced by cancer patients. Albeit common, these symptoms lack guidelines for management and are rarely addressed by healthcare providers, and therefore, how taste and smell dysfunctions affect quality of life in cancer patients is understudied.

Methods

To address this gap, we analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to assess associations between smell and taste dysfunction and life satisfaction among adults who self-reported cancer (N = 3,327; age range:18-85+ years; 57% F; 85% Non-Hispanic white). Participants reported whether they experienced difficulty tasting, difficulty smelling, and whether they were satisfied with life (binary) in the past 12 months.

Results

Among responden

SUBMITTER: Esparza V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12637753 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature