Abstract
Trata-se de estudo descritivo e transversal com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade de vida em pacientes com câncer sob quimioterapia. Oitenta pacientes de ambos os sexos, com 18 anos completos ou mais de idade, diagnóstico de câncer confirmado, em tratamento com quimioterapia a partir do segundo ciclo e participação voluntária no estudo foram incluídos. Utilizou-se o instrumento WHOQOL-Bref, validado no Brasil, por meio de entrevista, no período de abril a junho de 2008. A comparação entre os escores dos domínios apresentou diferença significativa em função da autoavaliação de saúde. Os maiores escores foram no grupo com melhor avaliação da própria saúde. O domínio Psicológico atingiu os escores mais elevados, diferente dos outros, que avaliaram melhor o domínio Meio Ambiente. Os resultados sugerem que a autoavaliação de saúde pode ser preditor confiável da qualidade de vida nesses pacientes, sendo relevante a ampliação dos estudos.
Highlights
Cancer is a major public health problem in developed and developing countries, deserving increasingly more research in order to promote better quality and humanization of care to patients with this disease
In our study, the numerical predominance of men over women is due to the type of tumor found and to the fact that female genital system cancers are not treated at this outpatient clinic because these cases are cared for at a specific center dealing exclusively with women’s health
It was found that the Social and Physical domains were the most affected and the best preserved was the Environment domain
Summary
Cancer is a major public health problem in developed and developing countries, deserving increasingly more research in order to promote better quality and humanization of care to patients with this disease. It is estimated that by 2020, the number of new cases per year will be nearly 15 million, of which about 60% occur in developing countries.[1] Because of the increased life expectancy and the aging population, caused by the change in the mortality profile, and reduced rates of communicable diseases, it has been observed that there has been a global increase in the rates of chronicdegenerative disease, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.[2]. The cancer diagnosis brings important changes to the way of living with physical and emotional changes due to discomfort, pain, deformity, dependence and loss of self-esteem. The patient must face the different types of treatment for the disease, such as surgeries and radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments, frequently associated to adverse side effects.[4]
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