Quality of Life of Female Breast Cancer Survivors Treated at the National Cancer Institute of Panama
Abstract
Purpose: This study evaluates the Quality of life (QOL) of Panamanian female breast cancer (BC) survivors in four QOL domains: physical health, social relationships, psychological health, and environment.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected by a validated Spanish language version of the WHOQOL-BREF survey questionnaire administered to 263 women diagnosed with BC who attended a follow-up appointment between March 1st and April 30th, 2013, at the Medical Oncology Healthcare Service in the National Cancer Institute of Panama. A total of 240 women completed the survey. Data analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS v.17.
Results: Elderly women reported the lowest QOL scores. Higher socioeconomic status indicators, younger age, less than 5 years of BC diagnosis, and receipt of hormone therapy were associated with higher QOL scores, indicating higher QOL perceptions.
Conclusions: Overall, BC survivors in Panama have high perceptions of QOL and were satisfied with their health. The significantly lower physical and psychological health domain scores reported by elderly women indicated particular needs that were not met, and suggested the implementation of post-BC diagnosis psychological counseling and programs to reduce dependence on medicinal substances as well as programs to improve handling of daily living activities, mobility, pain management, energy, and sleep.
Keywords: Breast cancer; QOL; physical health; social relationships; hormone therapy.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18103/imr.v0i5.120
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