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Quality of life in advanced cancer patients: the impact of sociodemographic and medical characteristics

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Author

  • M S Jordhoy
  • P Fayers
  • J H Loge
  • T Saltnes
  • Marianne Ahlner-Elmqvist
  • S Kaasa

Summary, in English

Population-based surveys have shown that health-related quality of life (HRQL) is influenced by patients' characteristics such as age, gender, living situation and diagnoses. The present study explores the impact of such factors on the HRQL of severely ill cancer patients. The study sample included 395 cancer patients who participated in a cluster randomised trial of palliative care. Median survival was 13 weeks. HRQL assessments (using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire) were compared among subgroups of relevant patients' characteristics (ANOVA), and the significance of individual covariates was explored by multivariate linear regression. Most EORTC QLQ-C30 scores showed minor differences between genders. Higher age was associated with less sleeping disturbance, less pain and better emotional functioning. No positive impact of living with a partner was found. Performance status and/or time from assessment to death were significantly associated with most functioning and symptom scores. We concluded that although the overall impact of sociodemographic characteristics may seem less important to HRQL scores among advanced cancer patients than in general populations, age and gender should be allowed for. Performance status and closeness to death also need to be reported.

Publishing year

2001

Language

English

Pages

1478-1485

Publication/Series

British Journal of Cancer

Volume

85

Issue

10

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Topic

  • Cancer and Oncology

Keywords

  • palliative care
  • cancer
  • quality of life
  • predictive factor

Status

Published

Research group

  • Laryngoesophagology, Allergy and Life Quality

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1532-1827