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Evaluation of Quality of Life and Health Care Needs in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

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Abstract

Symptoms are decisive in the quality of life of patients. Progression of the underlying disease leads to many physical and psychological symptoms in patients. Increases in these symptoms often prevent patients from complying with treatment. Therefore, the symptoms must be recognized, evaluated, and controlled for the treatment to be effective. This study determined the unmet needs of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and the effects of these needs on the patients’ quality of life. Four hundred fifty patients were studied. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, the Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-HAQ), the Supportive Care Requirements Questionnaire (DBGÖ), and the FACT-G (v4) Quality of Life Scale. The areas in which patients needed the most support were pain, weakness/fatigue, bad feelings, sadness, mood swings, difficulty in doing home-related tasks, fear of the cancer spreading, inability to control the situation, worries about the future, fear of death, worries about upsetting relatives, and being in need of information regarding their sexual lives. The results showed that for patients who had higher support requirements, higher incidences of symptoms led to a reduced quality of life. Consequently, frequently evaluating these symptoms to meet the needs identified, frequently measuring the quality and efficiency of care and advising these patients on their needs is recommended.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants for their involvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey

    Gamze Temiz

  2. Istanbul Bilim University Florence Nightingale Hospital School of Nursing, Istanbul, Turkey

    Zehra Durna

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  1. Gamze Temiz
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Correspondence to Gamze Temiz.

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Ethical Consideration

Institutional permission was obtained from the Haliç University Ethics Committee and Public Training and Research Hospital before starting the study. Participants’ verbal and written consent was obtained. Patients with perceptual or psychiatric disorders preventing communication or those unwilling to participate were excluded from the study

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Temiz, G., Durna, Z. Evaluation of Quality of Life and Health Care Needs in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. J Canc Educ 35, 796–807 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-019-01533-2

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