Background: The rise in the incidence rates of breast cancer among Palestinian women and the negative impact of cancer on survivors necessitate the importance of increased knowledge about patients health related quality of life (HRQoL).  The purposes of this study were to assess the HRQoL among breast cancer women, and to examine the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, breast cancer clinical characteristics and treatment options on HRQoL using EuroQol-5 Dimension (EuroQoL EQ-5D) scale.

Methods: It is a cross-sectional study using a convenient sampling method that was conducted in four oncology centers in West-Bank, Palestine over 6 month period in 2014. The EuroQoL EQ-5D scale was used to assess patients' HRQoL. Descriptive statistics were used to describe socio-demographic and disease related clinical characteristics of the patients. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney tests) where used when appropriate to investigate significant effects of various characteristics on HRQoL. All analysis were performed using SPSS version 16.0.

Findings: A total of 244 breast cancer women were interviewed. The mean age (± SD) of all respondents was (52.7 ± 12.2) years. HRQoL was good, the median EQ-5D index was 0.72 (interquartile range (IQR): 0.51-0.84) and the median of EQ-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) was 70 (IQR: 55-80). There was a significantly strong positive correlation (R = 0.51; p < 0.001) between the EQ-5D index values and the reported EQ-VAS scores. Older patients (p = 0.006), employed females (p = 0.002), women with higher income (p = 0.012), women with higher education (p = 0.001), women who practice worship (p = 0.006), and women who exercise regularly (p = 0.006) have significant higher EQ-5D index score. In addition, it has been shown that as the stage of breast cancer increased the median of EQ-5D index value decreased significantly (p = 0.002). On the other hand, regarding VAS scores, it has been found that employed females (p = 0.006), women with higher income (p < 0.001), women with higher education (p < 0.001), and women who exercise regularly (p = 0.002) have significant higher VAS score. In addition, it has been shown that as the stage of breast cancer increased the median of EQ-5D index value decreased significantly (p = 0.004). Furthermore, patients who underwent breast conservation therapy had a higher median VAS than those with other types of surgery (p = 0.004).

Conclusion: Palestinian breast cancer survivors reported favorable overall HRQoL.  Higher educational attainments, higher family monthly income, highly spiritual thoughts and believes, high physical activity and exercising have been highly significantly associated with better overall HRQoL. Thus, improve overall HRQoL should be considered a very important goal in treatment of breast cancer.

Conference Title

The Lancet Palestinian Health Alliance (LPHA) Seventh Annual Conference

Conference Country

Jordan

Conference Date

March 7, 2016 - March 9, 2016

Conference Sponsor

مجلة اللانست و جامعة بيرزيت

Additional Info

Conference Website