Gender differences in predicting quality of life in cancer patients with pain

Symptom experiences and influencing factors in patients undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers: a qualitative study

Objective

To explore the symptom experiences and influencing factors of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients on chemotherapy (CTX) in China.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 GI cancer patients undergoing CTX. Following the Colaizzi 7-step analysis method, the interview data were read carefully, meaningful statements related to the research questions were extracted, coded, collected, and described in detail, and the authenticity of the theme was verified.

Results

Nine themes were grouped into two main areas including the characteristics of symptom experiences and influences on symptom experiences.

Conclusion

The symptom experiences of patients undergoing CTX for GI cancer is poor and influenced by multiple factors. Nurses need to pay attention to the assessment and monitoring of CTX-related symptoms, improve symptom recognition, enhance doctor-patient communication and social support, explore intelligent management methods, and increase the efficiency of healthcare services to improve patients' symptom experience.

Gender differences in the predictors of quality of life in patients with cancer: A cross sectional study

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study was to explore potential differences in the sociodemographic (with a special focus on gender differences) and psychological predictors of quality of life in individuals diagnosed with cancer.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out involving individuals struggling with different forms of cancer (N = 430). Linear regression was used to investigate the concurrent predictive role of the independent variables, stratified by gender, for each of the five cancer-specific quality of life domains and overall quality of life.

RESULTS

Sociodemographic characteristics had only a negligible to small role in predicting quality of life in both men and women. In contrast, the psychological variables explained a significantly larger portion of the variance in both genders. There were no statistically significant gender differences regarding the raw quality of life domain scores; however, their predictors were markedly different in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study indicate that it is imperative to take gender differences into consideration when planning psychosocial interventions also focusing on strengths, resources, and coping strategies. Considering the consistently emerging importance of family support in patients' quality of life, offering psychological interventions to caregivers/family members seems warranted to empower them to provide support to patients throughout the illness trajectory.

Influence of Enteral Nutrition on Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer and Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Patients within a Pair-Matched Sample

Patients with cancers of the head and neck and upper gastrointestinal tract are particularly susceptible to malnutrition, which worsens both their prognosis and quality of life and may result in the need for enteral or parenteral nutrition. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of enteral nutrition on the quality of life in a paired sample. This study included 50 patients with cancer in two paired subgroups: with enteral nutrition (studied group) and without enteral nutrition (matched group). This study was based on self-reports collected with the EORTC QLQ C30 questionnaire and retrospective analysis of medical records. The analysis revealed that weight loss, group type, and age were the primary factors influencing patients' quality of life. Compared with all cancer patients and the general Polish population, the scores of patients in both groups were below reference values for functional scales and exceeded reference values or were similar for fatigue and vomiting/nausea. Patients who received enteral nutrition more frequently scored lower on the functional scales and higher on the symptomatic scales than the control group. These findings emphasize the complex relationship between cancer, nutritional status, and quality of life.

Cancer-Related Stigmatization, Quality of Life, and Fear of Death Among Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients

The purpose of the study is to investigate the gender differences among newly diagnosed cancer patients from the cultural perspective of Pakistan. The data comprised two equal groups: men (50%) and women (50%). Most participants were 31-45 years old, and the duration of the cancer diagnosis was less than 6 months (74.6%). The data was collected on the following scales: the discrimination and stigma scale, the internalized stigma scale, the WHO-quality of life scale, and the fear of death scale. Data was analyzed using SPSS v.25; descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, and simple linear regression were applied to the data. The results revealed that men and women are both experiencing cancer-related stigmatization in Pakistan. However, women face a higher level of stigmatization, lower quality of life, and higher fear of death than men. Furthermore, the regression analysis result confirms that the cancer-related stigma faced by the diagnosed patients decreases the patient's quality of life and induces the fear of death.

Quality of life and financial toxicity after (chemo)radiation therapy in head and neck cancer: are there any sex- or gender-related differences?

The purpose of this article is to discuss the published evidence related to quality of life (QoL) and financial toxicity (FT) differences between female and male head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiotherapy. There is a need of promoting methods for assessing QoL difference between female and male patients in order to set up early rehabilitation, psychosocial care, and lifestyle interventions, as well as setting up specific interventions for minimizing financial stress.

Psychological variables associated with quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer: the role of body image distress

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and body image distress in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), considering relevant psychological variables (i.e., coping strategies, social anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, intolerance of uncertainty, pain, and distress). We also aimed to explore gender differences in patients with HNC in terms of relevant psychological variables in HNC.

METHODS

Fifty-one HNC patients (37 males and 14 females) completed self-report questionnaires to assess body image distress, physical and mental QoL, and relevant psychological variables in HNC (coping strategies, social anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, intolerance of uncertainty, pain, and distress) before undergoing treatment. Pearson's correlations and four-step hierarchical regressions were performed to assess the relationship between body image distress, QoL, and the abovementioned psychological variables, while one-way analyses of variance and one-way analysis of covariance were employed to assess gender differences.

RESULTS

Physical QoL was associated with body image distress above and beyond disease duration, distress, coping strategies, pain, mental QoL, and self-esteem, while mental QoL was associated with pain above and beyond distress, coping strategies, physical QoL, self-esteem, and body image distress. Concerning gender differences, females scored higher than males on most of the explored psychological variables, except for physical QoL and intolerance of uncertainty, and showed lower mental QoL and self-esteem than males.

CONCLUSION

Body image distress and pain emerged as negatively associated with QoL, and almost all the explored psychological variables differed among genders. Psychological interventions targeting body image distress and pain should be promoted in patients with HNC to increase their QoL, while keeping gender differences in mind.

Does Cancer Type Influence the Impact of Recurrence? A Review of the Experience of Patients With Breast or Prostate Cancer Recurrence

Objective: Patients will experience a plethora of issues when faced with a recurrence of their cancer. It is unclear if cancer type is a significant factor in how recurrence is experienced by an individual. The aim of the current review is to explore the evidence base and summarise the experiences of patients specifically with a recurrence of breast or prostate cancer (the most common for women and men, respectively) and then provide a comparison of these experiences. These experiences include the physical, psychological and psychosocial issues that arise at this time.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted of studies published between January 1994 and April 2019. Due to the mix of research designs used previously in the literature, this review was conducted in an integrative manner; allowing for inclusion of diverse research designs. Results were synthesised narratively, with data categorised according to physical, psychological, and psychosocial indices of quality of life. The review protocol was registered in the international database of prospective systematic reviews in health and social care- (CRD42019137381).

Results: Fifteen breast cancer and six prostate cancer articles were identified, each reporting one relevant study. Patients reported several negative issues at the time of a breast or prostate cancer recurrence. Similarities were found between cancer types, with physical problems such as fatigue, psychological issues including anxiety and depressive symptoms, and psychosocial concerns such as issues with healthcare professionals common in both cancers. Certain findings were inconsistent across studies, with some experiences differing between studies rather than due to cancer type.

Conclusions: Differences in the experience of recurrent cancer appear to be more heavily influenced by individual factors, rather than cancer type. Findings are confounded by gender; and should be considered preliminary. Effects of recurrence should be studied in samples where cancer type and gender are not confounded. Concerns are raised about available study quality and differing outcome measures in this interpretation. Care and support of the individual at the time of a cancer recurrence is a key focus. Future research suggestions with implications for clinical practise are included.

Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO 2019 CRD42019137381.

Quality of life determinants in older patients with cancer: Results from a French prospective monocenter cohort

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to describe determinants of quality of life (QOL) quoted by vulnerable older patients with cancer and compare them with domains included in cancer-specific QOL questionnaires.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective, monocenter, observational study was performed in a French university hospital. Cancer patients Patients with cancer aged over 74 years were recruited when referred for an out-patient geriatric evaluation (n = 102). After geriatric assessment, they were invited to respond to open-ended questions, Q1: "For you, what is most important to have a good QOL?" Q2: "What could improve your QOL?" Q3: "What could worsen your QOL?" A Delphi process was conducted to categorize patient responses according to content analysis.

RESULTS

The most frequently patient-reported determinants for high quality of life were maintaining close ties with family/friends or social relations, autonomy for decision and mobility without depending on others, being in good health, not suffering from pain and the absence of problems concerning relatives. Global health status, physical functioning/mobility, social functioning and worries about others were the more frequently mentioned QOL domains related to the EORTC QLQ-C30 and ELD14 questionnaires. Some determinants of QOL were not linked to pre-defined domains, some others without a 100% consensus after the Delphi process, illustrating the subjectivity of QOL analysis by a single practitioner.

CONCLUSION

Patient interview with open-ended questions provides valuable supplementary information to QOL questionnaires, in order to personalize health related (cancer treatment, pain management…) and global (maintenance of autonomy and family/social relations…) assessment and intervention.

Unmet needs and quality of life in multiple myeloma patients

This cross-sectional study analysed the contributors and moderators of quality of life. The sample comprised 124 Portuguese multiple myeloma patients assessed on social support, spirituality, unmet needs, psychological morbidity and quality-of-life measures. Results showed that being older and a woman, as well as psychological morbidity and unmet emotional needs were significant predictors of worse quality of life as measured by the QLQ-C30. Unmet financial needs moderated the relationship between psychological morbidity and quality of life. Results emphasize the importance of intervening in patients’ unmet emotional needs and psychological morbidity in order to promote quality of life, in this population.

Gender differences in the perception of quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVES

To identify the gender differences in assessing quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional investigation conducted with 144 patients (72 men and 72 women) undergoing chemotherapy treatment in a southeastern Brazilian hospital. Data were gathered trough a sociodemographic and clinical information form and the Health-related Quality of Life instrument from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer.

RESULTS

Cognitive function leads to lower general quality of life, with higher effect in men when compared to women. Body image (p=0.023), abdominal pain (p=0.020) and dry mouth (p=0.001) produced lower quality of life in women. On other hand, men showed lower quality of life related to the following symptoms: fecal incontinency (p<0.001), sexual impotency (p=0.027) and sexual arousal (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The illness symptoms and chemotherapy treatment effects that negatively impact on quality of life differ between men and women. Thus, healthcare needs to be focused on these specific factors that affect the quality of life according to the patient's gender.

Quality of Life and Its Determinants in Adult Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment in Pakistan

Objective:

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Likewise, in Pakistan, it is a major health problem, with an approximate increase each year. Cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy, produces a detrimental effect on individuals’ well-being. Since the past few years, quality of life (QOL) is considered as the primary goal of cancer treatment in patients’ survival. This study aimed to assess the QOL and its determinants in adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Methods:

An analytical cross-sectional design was employed to achieve the study objectives, utilizing consecutive sampling technique. A total of 150 adult (>19 years) cancer patients were recruited from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The data were collected using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, a QOL questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was run to determine the effect of predictor variables, with a mean QOL score.

Results:

The overall mean score of QOL as 57.37. The domains of physical and emotional well-being were mainly affected by the chemotherapy treatment. Variables such as no previous hospitalization and no significant changes in life events were positively associated with the QOL. On the other hand, being female, unemployed, chemotherapy side effects (>1 week), impaired socialization, and discrimination by family/relatives were negatively associated with the QOL.

Conclusions:

The study findings suggested an overall low QOL among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. It is recognized as a stressful treatment, which adversely affects the QOL of cancer patients. Interventions should focus on both the physical and psychological issues and need to be addressed to improve the QOL of adult cancer patients.

Relationships between Death Anxiety and Quality of Life in Iranian Patients with Cancer

Objective:

The purpose of the study was to examine relationships between death anxiety and quality of life (QOL) parameters of patients with cancer in the Iranian sociocultural context.

Methods:

A descriptive, correlational methodology was used. The sample included 330 patients. Demographics, health information, religious behaviors, death anxiety, and QOL data were collected.

Results:

Overall death anxiety levels were moderate with satisfactory overall QOL. Death anxiety was predictive of lowered QOL. Female patients had lower QOL and higher death anxiety compared to men

Conclusions:

Findings support that higher death anxiety negatively impacts QOL in an Iranian sample with cancer. Alleviation of existential concerns in vulnerable patients may palliate mental health distress associated with facing cancer and its challenging treatments.

Pain, Sleep Disturbance, and Quality of Life Among Palestinian Patients Diagnosed with Cancer

The objective of this descriptive study is to explore the relationships between pain, sleep disturbance, and quality of life among Palestinian patients diagnosed with cancer in the West Bank. A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was used to collect data from 184 patients with cancer. The quality of life questionnaire, visual analogue pain scale, and physical health status were used in data collection. The results showed that the mean score for pain was 5, the best functioning was for cognitive scale (M = 75, SD = 29), the worst symptoms experienced by patients was appetite loss (M = 47, SD = 35), a moderate global health status (M = 53, SD = 27), and the mean for sleep disturbance was 43 (SD = 35). Pain and sleep disturbance showed high negative correlations with functional scales of quality of life and positive with symptom scales. The findings showed that the co-occurrence of pain and sleep disturbance was negatively correlated with quality of life (QoL) and positively with symptom scales. The regression analysis revealed that pain and sleep disturbance accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the QoL (p < 0.001), and the highest proportion was in predicting global health status (41.9 %). The findings of this study give evidence about the importance of assessing pain and sleep quality among Palestinian patients with cancer.

Worse quality of life in young and recently diagnosed breast cancer survivors compared with female survivors of other cancers: A cross-sectional study

Literature focusing on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by cancer site among women only is scarce. This study examines HRQoL of breast cancer (BC) survivors compared with female survivors of other cancers, and to understand which subgroups of BC survivors were particularly at risk of reduced HRQoL. We placed emphasis on young (<50 years) and recently diagnosed (≤5 years) survivors, where the deficits in HRQoL were most pronounced. The cross-sectional study consisted of 2,224 BC survivors, 8,504 non-cancer controls and 2,205 other cancer survivors in the Karma study. We examined HRQoL differences using linear regression analyses in the whole cohort and in a subset of young and recently diagnosed BC survivors (n = 242) and female survivors of other cancers (n = 140) with comparable ages at diagnosis (43.6 vs 43.6, p = 0.917) and time since diagnosis (2.3 vs 2.8 years, p < 0.001). HRQoL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. While only cognitive functioning was significantly compromised in BC survivors compared with survivors of other cancers when women of all ages were included, young BC survivors reported significantly lower HRQoL on multiple functional scales (global quality of life, emotional, role, social and cognitive functioning) and experienced more fatigue and insomnia. BC survivors with any prior medical history of mental disorders reported poorer HRQoL than those without such a history. We also observed a close-knit relationship between tumor and treatment characteristics. BC survivors perform poorly in HRQoL in comparison with female survivors of other cancers. Our results emphasize the importance of age- and gender-appropriate comparison groups.

Gender Differences in Predictors of Quality of Life at the Initiation of Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To evaluate gender differences in quality of life (QOL), demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics.


DESIGN

Prospective, observational.


SETTING

Two radiation oncology departments in northern California.


SAMPLE

185 patients before initiation of radiation therapy (RT).


METHODS

At their RT simulation visit, patients completed a demographic questionnaire, a measure of QOL, and symptom-specific scales. Backward elimination regression analyses were conducted to determine the significant predictors of QOL
.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

QOL, gender, and 20 potential predictors
.

FINDINGS

In women, depressive symptoms, functional status, age, and having children at home explained 64% of the variance in QOL. In men, depressive symptoms, state anxiety, number of comorbidities, being a member of a racial or ethnic minority, and age explained 70% of the variance in QOL
.

CONCLUSIONS

Predictors of QOL differed by gender. Depressive symptom score was the greatest contributor to QOL in both genders.
.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses need to assess for QOL and depression at the initiation of RT. Knowledge of the different predictors of QOL may be useful in the design of gender-specific interventions to improve QOL.

Children's perspective on health-related quality of life during active treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: an advanced content analysis approach

BACKGROUND

Qualitative research provides insight into the cancer experience through the perspective of the pediatric patient. However, somewhat small sample sizes can hinder full discovery of new knowledge and limit interpretation of data.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe health-related quality of life (HRQOL) reported by children and adolescents in responses to 2 interview questions during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and compare their responses by age, gender, risk group, and time in treatment through a quantitative content analysis approach.

METHODS

Children and adolescents (N = 150) were asked 2 validated questions in pediatric patients receiving treatment for ALL: "What makes a good day for you?" and "How has being sick been for you?" over 6 treatment time points. Interview data were coded analyzed quantitatively.

RESULTS

Code frequencies differed significantly by age, gender, risk group, and time in treatment. Adolescents had a greater focus on being with friends, and females generally reported more codes representing negative experiences. Children and adolescents reported being affected by symptoms resulting from cancer treatment. Some adolescents described that being sick positively changed their lives and viewed their illness as a new life experience.

CONCLUSION

The 2 proposed questions are feasible to use clinically to assess HRQOL in children and adolescents with ALL, and the qualitative codes from their descriptions can be used to identify factors affecting HRQOL of children and adolescents with leukemia.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Nurses can use these 2 questions to assess the HRQOL of children and adolescents during and following treatment for ALL.

Age and Gender Moderate the Impact of Early Palliative Care in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This study analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who received either early palliative care (EPC) integrated with oncology care or oncology care alone. Males and younger patients who received EPC had better quality of life and mood than those who received oncology care alone. However, these outcomes did not differ significantly between treatment groups for females or older patients.

Background.

Studies demonstrate that early palliative care (EPC) improves advanced cancer patients’ quality of life (QOL) and mood. However, it remains unclear whether the role of palliative care differs based upon patients’ demographic characteristics. We explored whether age and gender moderate the improvements in QOL and mood seen with EPC.

Methods.

We performed a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Patients received either EPC integrated with oncology care or oncology care alone. We assessed the degree to which QOL (Trial Outcome Index [TOI]) and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 [PHQ-9]) outcomes at week 12 varied by patient age (<65) and gender. The week 12 data of 107 patients are included in this analysis.

Results.

At 12 weeks, younger patients receiving EPC reported better QOL (TOI mean = 62.04 vs. 49.43, p = .001) and lower rates of depression (HADS–Depression = 4.0% vs. 52.4%, p < .001; PHQ-9 = 0.0% vs. 28.6%, p = .006) than younger patients receiving oncology care alone. Males receiving EPC reported better QOL (TOI mean = 58.81 vs. 48.30, p = .001) and lower rates of depression (HADS–Depression = 18.5% vs. 60.9%, p = .002; PHQ-9 = 3.8% vs. 34.8%, p = .008) than males receiving oncology care alone. At 12 weeks, QOL and mood did not differ between study groups for females and older patients.

Conclusion.

Males and younger patients who received EPC had better QOL and mood than those who received oncology care alone. However, these outcomes did not differ significantly between treatment groups for females or older patients.

Implications for Practice:

This study found that early palliative care improves patients’ quality of life and mood differentially based on their age and gender. Specifically, males and younger patients receiving early palliative care experienced better quality of life and mood than those receiving oncology care alone. Conversely, females and older patients did not experience this treatment effect. Thus, palliative care interventions may need to be tailored to patients’ age- and gender-specific care needs. Studying how patients’ demographic characteristics affect their experience with palliative care will enable the development of interventions targeted to the distinct supportive care needs of patients with cancer.

Factors related to self-efficacy among men and women undergoing outpatient chemotherapy in Japan

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine factors that influence self-efficacy in Japanese patients with cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy and to identify whether there are gender-specific similarities or differences that determine self-efficacy in this setting.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 156 patients with cancer (86 men and 70 women) undergoing chemotherapy as outpatients across five hospitals in Japan. The patients completed the European Organization for Research and Cancer Core Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Self-Efficacy for Advanced Cancer questionnaire (SEAC) which consists of three subscales (affect regulation efficacy, symptom-coping efficacy and activities of daily living efficacy), and a patient information form. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with self-efficacy in men and women.

RESULTS

In both men and women, insomnia was related to affect regulation efficacy, while fatigue and nausea/vomiting correlated with activities of daily living efficacy. For male patients, fatigue and nausea/vomiting also correlated with affect regulation efficacy and symptom-coping efficacy. Emotional functioning influenced self-efficacy for both genders, while physical functioning affected self-efficacy in female patients only.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that to enhance self-efficacy in Japanese patients with cancer undergoing outpatient chemotherapy, effective intervention is required with regard to the management of both emotional and physical functioning, specifically symptoms such as fatigue, nausea/vomiting and insomnia in both genders. Furthermore, women with a reduced level of physical function may require particular attention, as they may be at risk of lower levels of self-efficacy.

Factors affecting the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A questionnaire study

Objective:

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting cancer patients’ quality of life.

Methods:

We collected data from 352 chemotherapy patients of an Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit in a state hospital. We included volunteered chemotherapy patients with a signed informed consent and at least 50 Karnofsky Performance Scale points. We gathered data by Personal Information Form and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) and analyzed via basic descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis.

Results:

Patients were women (54.8%), married (83.5%), elementary school graduates (57.1%), housewives (44.6%) and undergoing fluorouracil-based therapy (47.2%), and almost all patients had religious and cultural rituals for the disease. Women experienced worse physical and social well-being than men (P = 0.001, P = 0.0001). Singles had worse psychological and general well-being (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001). Housewives had the worst physical and social well-being (P < 0.05). No relationship existed between education level and life quality (P > 0.05). Breast cancer and sarcoma patients had the worst social well-being than other cancer patients. The N-SAS points of patients were not affected by blessings/prays, vow/sacrifice, consulting local herbalists and visiting “ocaks (folk physicians)” (P > 0.05). Patients with bad quality of life practiced lead pouring and amulets (P < 0.05). Gender was the first factor affecting the quality of life.

Conclusion:

Advanced studies on individual quality of life factors affecting cancer would empower nurses for better personal care techniques and patients for easily overcoming the disease.

Is race/ethnicity related to the presence or severity of pain in colorectal and lung cancer?

CONTEXT

Developing interventions to address racial/ethnic cancer pain disparities requires exploration of the role of socioeconomic status, health status, and pain severity from the time of diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES

To examine patterns of disparities in cancer pain by evaluating differences by race/ethnicity in the odds of reporting pain and in pain severity, controlling for key patient-level covariates.

METHODS

This study used data from a nationally representative cohort of colorectal and lung cancer patients. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity and reporting pain. Multivariable linear regression was then conducted, among those who reported pain, to determine differences in pain severity by race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

The cohort included 5761 individuals (14% black, 7% Hispanic/Latino, 6% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 3% multiracial), among whom 48% reported pain. The adjusted odds of reporting differed only for multiracial patients, who were more likely to report pain than whites (odds ratio: 1.54; P = 0.036). However, among those with pain, severity was higher for black patients (β = 6.6; P ≤ 0.001) and multiracial patients (β = 4.5; P = 0.036) relative to white patients. Lower educational attainment, depressed affect, and lower levels of wealth also were associated with higher pain severity.

CONCLUSION

Although the odds of experiencing pain differed only for multiracial patients, among those reporting pain, both blacks and multiracial individuals reported higher pain severity than whites. Sociodemographic status, health status, and depression were associated with severity but did not explain the disparity. Interventions to address these disparities will need to focus on reported severity and patient-level factors.

Living with faecal incontinence: trying to control the daily life that is out of control

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To identify and describe the lived experience of persons living with faecal incontinence and show how it affects daily life.

BACKGROUND

Faecal incontinence is a relatively common condition, with a prevalence ranging from 3-24%, not differing between men and women. There is an under-reporting due to patients' reluctance to talk about their symptoms and consult healthcare professionals about their problems, which means that problems related to faecal incontinence are often underestimated. Living with faecal incontinence affects the quality of life negatively and has a negative impact on family situations, social interaction, etc.

DESIGN

A qualitative interpretative study based on interviews.

METHODS

In-depth interviews were conducted with five informants, all women, living with faecal incontinence. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis identified four themes: self-affirmation, guilt and shame, limitations in life and personal approach. The themes differ from each other, but are related and have similarities. The results show different aspects of living with faecal incontinence and how they affected daily life.

CONCLUSIONS

Living with faecal incontinence is a complex problem affecting everyday life in a number of different ways. It is a highly distressing and socially incapacitating problem. Living with faecal incontinence is about trying to control the daily life which is out of control. Living with faecal incontinence cannot be generalised as individuals experience the situation in unique ways.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

By gaining insight into the experience of living with faecal incontinence, healthcare professionals can deepen their understanding of this complex problem and thereby better address it and provide more individually based care.

The reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for patients with Bone Metastases: the EORTC QLQ-BM22

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the measure among a sample of Iranian patients with bone metastases. One hundred and seventy-seven patients with bone metastases undergoing various treatments were recruited from Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran to participate in the study. The coefficient alpha affirmed internal consistency reliability of the Quality of Life Questionnaire for patients with Bone Metastases (QLQ-BM22). This measure discriminated well between subgroups of the patients based on performance status and responding to treatment. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the factorial validity of the four hypothesized QLQ-BM22 scales. Patients in this study had a similar interpretation of the items on the QLQ-BM22 regardless of gender. All scales of the QLQ-BM22 were sensitive to change after treatment over a month's follow-up, with the exception of psychosocial aspects. The Persian version of the EORTC QLQ-BM22 was highly reliable and is valid for use among patients with bone metastases who are undergoing various treatment regimes.

Spiritual coping, religiosity and quality of life: a study on Muslim patients undergoing haemodialysis

AIM

The number of haemodialysis patients globally is increasing and spiritual resources may help overcome adjustment problems among such patients. This study examined the relationships between spiritual/religious, demographic and clinical variables and quality of life among Iranian Muslims undergoing haemodialysis.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, 362 haemodialysis patients were surveyed from three general hospitals located in Tehran, Iran. Spiritual coping strategies, Duke University Religion Index, EQ-5D 3L and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Hierarchical regression was used to identify predictors of quality of life and health status.

RESULTS

The distribution of reported problems across dimensions of quality of life was: mobility (59.4%), usual activities (30.4%), self-care (21.3%), pain/discomfort (47.8%) and anxiety/depression (29.3%). Univariate analysis showed that factors such as age, sex, marital status, location, number of children, body mass index, serum albumin, having diabetes mellitus or other comorbidity, as well as spiritual/religious factors that were related to quality of life, health status or both. Regression models revealed that demographics, clinical variables and especially spiritual/religious factors explained about 40% of variance of quality of life and nearly 25% of the variance in health status.

CONCLUSION

Spiritual resources may contribute to better quality of life and health status among haemodialysis patients. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these associations are causal and the direction of effect.

Not all depression is created equal: sex interacts with disease to precipitate depression

Depression is a common mental disorder that co-occurs in other neurological and somatic diseases. Further, sex differences exist in the prevalence rates of many of these diseases, as well as within non-disease associated depression. In this review, the case is made for needing a better recognition of the source of the symptoms of depression with respect to the sex of the individual; in that, some disease states, which includes the neuroendocrine and immune reactions to the underlying pathophysiology of the disease, may initiate depressive symptoms more often in one sex over the other. The diseases specifically addressed to make this argument are: epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. For each of these conditions, a review of the following are presented: prevalence rates of the conditions within each sex, prevalence rates of depressive symptoms within the conditions, identified relationships to gonadal hormones, and possible interactions between gonadal hormones, adrenal hormones, and immune signaling. Conclusions are drawn suggesting that an evaluation of the root causes for depressive symptoms in patients with these conditions is necessary, as the underlying mechanisms for eliciting the depressive symptoms may be qualitatively different across the four diseases discussed. This review attempts to identify and understand the mechanisms of depression associated with these diseases, in the context of the known sex differences in the disease prevalence and its age of onset. Hence, more extensive, sex-specific model systems are warranted that utilize these disease states to elicit depressive symptoms in order to create more focused, efficient, and sex-specific treatments for patients suffering from these diseases and concurrent depressive symptoms.

Gender differences in perception of quality of life in adults with and without chronic health conditions: the role of depressive symptoms

Previous studies have shown that chronic conditions have a negative impact on quality of life. Furthermore, this impact appears to be different in males and females, but it is not yet clear what factors may mediate this relationship. Females with chronic health conditions had poorer quality of life in the physical and psychological domains as compared to males with chronic health conditions. The difference between male and female patients in the psychological domain disappeared when the analysis was adjusted for confounding factors such as age, presence of a chronic health condition, socioeconomic status, and depressive symptoms.

Quality of life in cancer patients with pain in beijing

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the quality of life (QOL) of cancer pain patients in Beijing, and explore the effect of cancer pain control on patients' QOL.

METHODS

Self-developed demographic questionnaire, numeric rating scale and SF-36 questionnaire were used together among 643 cancer pain patients in 28 Grade 2nd to 3rd general hospitals and 2 Grade 3rd cancer hospitals.

RESULTS

The SF-36 eight dimensions scores ranged from 31.75 to 57.22 in these cancer pain patients. The t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to compare the QOL between pain controlled (PC) group and pain uncontrolled (PUC) group, and the results showed that patients in PC group had the higher QOL scores in 6 areas of SF-36 (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression results found that pain management satisfaction scores (P<0.001), family average personal monthly income (P=0.029), current receiving chemotherapy (P=0.009) and cancer stage (P<0.001) were the predictors to cancer pain controlled results.

CONCLUSION

Cancer patients with pain in Beijing had poor QOL. Pain control will improve the QOL of cancer pain patients.