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Karlsson Rosenblad A, Westman B, Bergkvist K, Segersvärd R, Roos N, Bergenmar M, Sharp L. Differences in health-related quality of life between native and foreign-born gynaecological cancer patients in Sweden: a five-year cross-sectional study. Qual Life Res 2024; 33:667-678. [PMID: 37930556 PMCID: PMC10894133 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-023-03548-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between native and foreign-born gynaecological cancer patients in Sweden, taking into account clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. METHODS The 30-item European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and a study-specific questionnaire covering demographic and socioeconomic factors were answered by 684 women aged ≥ 18 years old, diagnosed in 2014, 2016, or 2018 with gynaecological cancer in the Stockholm-Gotland health care region, Sweden. Clinical data were obtained from the Swedish Cancer Register. Data were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and linear regression. RESULTS The women had a mean age of 65.4 years, with 555 (81.1%) born in Sweden, 54 (7.9%) in other Nordic countries (ONC), 43 (6.3%) in other European countries (OEC), and 32 (4.7%) in non-European countries (NEC). HRQoL differed significantly between the four groups for 14 of the 15 QLQ-C30 scales/items. On average, Swedish-born women scored 2.0, 15.2, and 16.7 points higher for QoL/functioning scales/items and 2.2, 14.1, and 18.7 points lower for symptom scales/items, compared with ONC-, OEC-, and NEC-born women, respectively. In adjusted analyses, none of the differences between Swedish-born and ONC-born women were significant, while for OEC- and NEC-born women the differences were significant for most QLQ-C30 scales/items. CONCLUSION HRQoL differs between native and foreign-born gynaecological cancer patients in Sweden, with lower HRQoL the further from Sweden the women are born. A more individualised cancer care, with tailored support to optimize HRQoL is needed for this vulnerable group of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Karlsson Rosenblad
- Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Division of Clinical Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Statistics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Bodil Westman
- Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Care Science, Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Bergkvist
- Department of Care Science, Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ralf Segersvärd
- Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Roos
- Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mia Bergenmar
- Department of Care Science, Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena Sharp
- Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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