Abstract
Quality of life (QoL) is a multi-dimensional phenomenon bordering on all aspects of one’s life. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that are considered predictors of QoL in a Lebanese sample of cancer patients attending a tertiary healthcare center. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was used. A total of 200 adult oncology patients over 18 years of age were interviewed over a one-year period, 2009-2010. Two widely known instruments were used; the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) to evaluate the QoL and symptoms experienced in this population group. The reliability coefficients of both instruments were generally satisfactory. The results showed significant predictors of better QoL were being married (p = 0.04) and being single (p = 0.04), having breast (p = 0.01) and gastro-intestinal cancer (0.02) as primary cancer sites and emotional functioning (p = 0.00); significant predictors of poorer QoL were the MSAS total symptoms (p = 0.01) and fatigue (p = 0.00). Our findings provide insight into the predictors of QoL of cancer patients and set the path for future research in order to improve the QoL of cancer patients in Lebanon.
Highlights
The aim of care is to provide the best quality of life (QoL) for patients and their families
Significant differences between males and females were seen for age, employment status, marital status, primary cancer site, and treatment received (Table 1)
The study results showed a strong relationship between emotional and role functioning in relation to global health/QoL; patients experiencing less negative emotions and adequately performing their daily routine activities and hobbies are expected to have better overall health and quality of life
Summary
The aim of care is to provide the best quality of life (QoL) for patients and their families. QoL is considered a construct hard to define, many definitions are available in the literature; the most broadly used definition is the one provided by the World Health Organization as the “individuals’ perceptions of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns” (World Health Organization, 1996). This definition emphasizes the multi-dimensional and subjective nature of QoL, as well as the breadth of its scope, since it borders on all aspects of one’s life. Being a multi-dimensional construct, many psychosocial and medical factors have been reported in the
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