Η σχετιζόμενη με την υγεία ποιότητα ζωής ασθενών με καρκίνο

Τριανταφυλλίδου, Ευρώπη

Health-related quality of life in cancer patients

Master Thesis

Author

Τριανταφυλλίδου, Ευρώπη

Date

2023

Abstract

Cancer is one of the most serious health problems in developed countries and a multidimensional and multifactorial disease. Cancer is the second most common cause of death worldwide and it is not a single disease, but a group of diseases. The goal of doctors and researchers is to cure cancer, but one of the main goals is to achieve a better life for the patients. Medical progress in cancer treatment and extension of patients' life expectancy are indisputable, requiring the continuous effort to improve their quality of life. In the present study, the quality of life of cancer patients was assessed, through the evaluation of their health-related quality of life, from their self-reported experiences and the factors that affect the quality of life of these patients were determinated. For this purpose, a complex questionnaire was used, including the EQ5D-3L tool which is introduced by EuroQol Group and the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire which is been designed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) to evaluate the quality of life of oncology patients . The survey questionnaire was completed by questions regarding demographic data, medical history data, disease-related data and drug treatment data of the research participants and it was completed by 324 cancer patients, who visited the EOPYY Pharmacy of Ampelokipi to obtain the drugs for their planned treatment. The first part of the diploma thesis is the bibliography part, where the cancer disease, the health-related quality of life and studies from the international literature are analyzed. In the second part of the diploma thesis, which is the part of the research, a statistical analysis of the answered questionnaires is carried out. Results: The most common and serious problems in the 5 dimensions of EQ5D are mentioned in the anxiety/depression dimension, in which 72% of the patients reported to have a moderate or excessive anxiety or depression, as well as in the pain/discomfort dimension, in which 54% of the patients reported to feel moderate or excessive pain or discomfort. The internal consistency of the survey questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient and the EQ5D scales were proved to be reliable within the acceptable values (internal consistency coefficient calculated equal to 0.72). The average value of EQ5Dindex is 0,68 and the average value of EQ5Dvas is equal to 68,64. Regression models determined the factors associated with the quality of life of cancer patients. The level of statistical significance was set at p=0.05 (5%). Conclusions: The present study indicated that quality of life in cancer patients is moderately poorer than quality of life in the general population and patients reported themselves a moderate to good quality of life with some limitations. The linear regression analyses showed that cohabitation with a partner, higher education, public insurance and having undergone surgery in the past were positively related with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and these relationships were statistically significant, while a history of hospitalization in the past is negatively affected HRQOL and this relationship was statistically significant as well.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Οικονομικά και Διοίκηση της Υγείας

Department

Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

Number of pages

218

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/15664
http://dx.doi.org/10.26267/unipi_dione/3086

Collections

Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα