Quality of life

About: Quality of life is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 42912 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1198363 citations. The topic is also known as: life quality.

Patient-reported measurements of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy: Demonstration of increased frequency, severity, resistance to palliation, and impact on quality of life

Abstract: BACKGROUND. The risk, severity, and patient-reported outcomes of radiation-induced mucositis among head and neck cancer patients were prospectively estimated. METHODS. A validated, patient-reported questionnaire (OMDQ), the FACT quality of life (QOL), and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) fatigue scales were used to measure mucositis (reported as mouth and throat soreness), daily functioning, and use of analgesics. Patients were studied before radiotherapy (RT), daily during RT, and for 4 weeks after RT. RESULTS. Contrary to previous reports, the risk of mucositis was virtually identical in the 126 patients with oral cavity or oropharynx tumors (99% overall; 85% grade 3-4) compared with 65 patients with tumors of the larynx or hypopharynx (98% overall; 77% grade 3-4). The mean QOL score decreased significantly during RT, from 85.1 at baseline to 69.0 at Week 6, corresponding with the peak of mucositis severity. The mean functional status score decreased by 33% from 18.3 at baseline to 12.3 at Week 6. The impact of mucositis on QOL was proportional to its severity, although even a score of 1 or 2 (mild or moderate) was associated with a significant reduction in QOL (from 93.6 at baseline to 74.7 at Week 6). Despite increases in analgesic use from 34% at baseline to 80% at Week 6, mean mucositis scores exceeded 2.5 at Week 6. CONCLUSIONS. Mucositis occurs among virtually all patients who are undergoing radiation treatment of head and neck cancers. The detrimental effects on QOL and functional status are significant, and opioid analgesia provides inadequate relief. Preventive rather than symptom palliation measures are needed. Cancer 2008;113:2704–13. � 2008 American Cancer Society.

Definitions of quality of life: what has happened and how to move on

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is an important outcome in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation, but it is unclear how to define and measure it. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this article are to (a) show how the concepts of QOL and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have evolved over time, (b) describe the various ways QOL has been defined and measured, and (c) provide recommendations on how to be as clear and consistent as possible in QOL research. METHOD: A narrative review of the QOL literature was performed. RESULTS: Roots of the term "quality of life" in health care can be traced back to the definition of health by the World Health Organization in 1948. The use of the word "well-being" in this definition is probably a main factor in the continuing confusion about the conceptualization of QOL. Within the field of SCI rehabilitation, the Dijkers's QOL model, distinguishing between utilities, achievements, and subjective evaluations and reactions, has been very influential and the basis for several reviews and databases. Nevertheless, literature shows that it is still difficult to consistently use the term "quality of life" and categorize QOL measures. Several aspects of QOL that are specific for individuals with SCI have been identified. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers should be as specific and clear as possible about the concept and operationalization of QOL in their studies. Readers should not take the term "quality of life" for granted, but should inspect the topic of the study from the actual measures used. Language: en

Health-related quality of life among persons with irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review.

Abstract: Summary Aim : To perform a systematic review of the literature with three objectives: (1) to compare the health related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with irritable bowel syndrome with that of healthy controls; (2) to compare the HRQoL of irritable bowel syndrome patients to those with other diseases; and (3) to examine therapy-associated changes in HRQoL of irritable bowel syndrome patients. Methods : Searches of all English and non-English articles from 1980 to 2001 were performed in Medline and Embase, and two investigators performed independent data abstraction. Results : Seventeen articles met our selection criteria. 13 studies addressed objective no. 1; 11 showed a significant reduction in HRQoL among irritable bowel syndrome patients. Of these, only one study was considered of high quality. Four studies addressed objective no. 2, none of which was considered to be high quality in addressing this objective. Four trials (three of high quality) addressed objective no. 3. One showed that symptomatic improvement with Leupron compared to placebo was accompanied an improvement only in the comparative health domain of the HRQoL. The second study reported significant positive changes in HRQoL after 12 weeks of cognitive behavioural therapy. The third report of two placebo-controlled studies indicated significant improvement with alosetron on most domains of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality of Life Questionnaire. Conclusions : (i) There is reasonable evidence for a decrease in HRQoL in patients with moderate to severe irritable bowel syndrome; however, the data are conflicting regarding the impact of irritable bowel syndrome on HRQoL in population-based studies of nonconsulters. (ii) HRQoL in irritable bowel syndrome patients is impaired to a degree comparable to other chronic disorders such as GERD and depression. (iii) A therapeutic response in irritable bowel syndrome-related pain has a corresponding improvement in HRQoL. (iv) Limitations of the literature include focusing on moderate-severe irritable bowel syndrome in referral centres, and lack of appropriate controls

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Mood, Breast- and Endocrine-Related Quality of Life, and Well-Being in Stage 0 to III Breast Cancer: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Abstract: Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for mood, breast- and endocrine-specific quality of life, and well-being after hospital treatment in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer. Patients and Methods: A randomized, wait-listed, controlled trial was carried out in 229 women after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for breast cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to the 8-week MBSR program or standard care. Profile of Mood States (POMS; primary outcome), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Endocrine Symptoms (FACT-ES) scales and the WHO five-item well-being questionnaire (WHO-5) evaluated mood, quality of life, and well-being at weeks 0, 8, and 12. For each outcome measure, a repeated-measures analysis of variance model, which incorporated week 0 measurements as a covariate, was used to compare treatment groups at 8 and 12 weeks. Results: There were statistically significant improvements in outcome in the experimental group compared with control group at both 8 and 12 weeks (except as indicated) for POMS total mood disturbance (and its subscales of anxiety, depression [8 weeks only], anger [12 weeks only], vigor, fatigue, and confusion [8 weeks only]), FACT-B, FACT-ES, (and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy subscales of physical, social [8 weeks only], emotional, and functional well-being), and WHO-5. Conclusion: MSBR improved mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being more effectively than standard care in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer, and these results persisted at three months. To our knowledge, this study provided novel evidence that MBSR can help alleviate long-term emotional and physical adverse effects of medical treatments, including endocrine treatments. MBSR is recommended to support survivors of breast cancer.