Abstract
The main objective of palliative treatment for cancer patients has been to maintain, if not improve, the quality of life (QoL). There is a lack of local data on satisfaction and QoL among cancer patients receiving palliative treatment in Malaysia. This study covers patients with incurable, progressive cancer disease receiving palliative treatment in a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, comparing the different components of QoL and correlations with patient satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey using Malay validated SF36 QoL and PSQ-18 (Short Form) tools was carried out between July 2012 -January 2013 with 120 cancer patients receiving palliative treatment, recruited into the study after informed consent using convenient sampling. Results showed that highest satisfaction were observed in Communication Aspect (50.6±9.07) and the least in General Satisfaction (26.4±5.90). The Mental Component Summary (44.9±6.84) scored higher when compared with the Physical Component Summary (42.2±7.91). In this study, we found that patient satisfaction was strongly associated with good quality of life among cancer patients from a general satisfaction aspect (r=0.232). A poor significant negative correlation was found in Physical Component (technical quality, r=-0.312). The Mental Component showed there was a poor negative correlation between time spent with doctor (r=-0.192) and accessibility, (r=-0.279). We found that feeling at peace and having a sense of meaning in life were more important to patients than being active or achieving good physical comfort. More studyis needed to investigate patients who score poorly on physical and mental component aspects to understand their needs in order to achieve better cancer care.
Highlights
Burden of cancer care is increasing worldwide despite the improvement in modes of cancer treatment and advancement in technology for diagnsoing and treating cancers
Based on result of the study, most of the cancer patients undergoing palliative treatment have a higher quality of life based on the mental aspect than the physical aspects
The results presented shows a significant relationship between satisfactions toward palliative treatment received and the quality of life (Physical Component and Mental Component)
Summary
Burden of cancer care is increasing worldwide despite the improvement in modes of cancer treatment and advancement in technology for diagnsoing and treating cancers. Cancers are causing high morbidity and suffering, but cancers has become a leading cause of death throughout the world (WHO, 2000). In 2002, the number of new cancer diagnoses increased to 10.9 million and the total of 6.7 million people have reportedly died due to the cancer diseases. It is predicted that by the 2020 the rate of cancer will rise by 50 per cent to 15 million cases and, by 2030 the cancer death is estimated to be as high as 13 percent of total death world wide (WHO, 2007). In 2003, a total of 21,464 new cases of cancer have been reported in Peninsular Malaysia (National Cancer Registry, 2003). Breast cancer were recorded as the highest number of cancer with 3,738 cases, followed by lung cancer 1,758 cases and 1,557 cases of cervical cancer (National Cancer Registry, 2003)
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