EORTC QLQ Analysis Of Quality Of Life In Bladder Cancer Patients

Objective: Using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BLS24 to investigate the quality of life for Chinese patients with superficial bladder cancer (SBC) and study their acceptability and evaluate their reliability and validity. To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in SBC patients and to investigate the factors that affect the QOL exactly. According to the research results we can propose the nursing interventions to improve the QOL of SBC in China.Methods: From January 2007 to December 2007, 168 consecutive patients were enrolled in our study which were diagnosed as SBC and received medical intervention at Department of Urology, Shandong University QiLu Hospital. Three instruments were used for the data collection according to research purpose: EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BLS24, Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and Copying Style Scale. All the data obtained were statistically analyzed by software package SPSS11.5 for windows. Statistical methods such as ICC, Cronbach'αcoefficient, Split-half coefficient, factor analysis, T-test, description, linear relation, the one-way ANOVA analysis and multiple linear regression were used to assess the questionnaire.Results:1 The Cronbach'αcoefficient of the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BLS4 is 0.8455.They have good internal consistency excepting 2 scales' Cronbach'α: CF and SEF, 0.5493 and 0.6406. They also have satisfying test-retest reliability and ICCs of 35 re-tested questionnaires were all above 0.8. The Split-half reliability coefficient is 0.6383.These results proved their good reliability. Factor analyses with varimax rotated solution are used to examine the structure validity. Most scales have close correlations with original questionnaire except for CF and SEF. Most items have close correlations with their corresponding scales.2 Comparing the QOL of SBC patients to reference value of EORTC we found that , the mean score of most function lower than reference value except for PF2(P<0.01), the mean score of symptoms such as fatigue, pain, dyspnoea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation and so on were also lower than reference value(P<0.01). The scores of FP and AB are lower, and the scores of US, TP and FP are higher.3 Comparing the patients with partial cystectomy with the patients with TURBT or laser therapy, the former's scores of PF2 and SF (P<0.05) are lower and the scores of PA, DY, CO, FI and TP are higher (P<0.05).4 Comparing the patients using Pirarubicin with the patients using BCG vaccine or mitomycin-C, the former's scores of RF2 and SF are higher(P<0.05) and the scores of NV, DY, PA, US are lower(P<0.05).5 The average score of social support was 42.73±5.55. The average score of optimistic coping style was 24.96±4.10 and the negative coping style was 21.29±2.00. Although there was no significant correlation between QOL of SBC and the negative coping style, there was significant positive correlation between the score of function of SBC and social support score and the symptom of SBC and optimistic coping style. There was also significant negative correlation between the score of symptom of SBC and social support and between the score of function of SBC and optimistic coping style.6 The QOL of SBC was influenced by many factors according to the multiple linear regression analysis. Emotional function, cognitive function, pain, urinary symptom and sexual function of SBC patients were influenced by gender. Physical functions and urinary symptoms were influenced by age. The global function, social function, financial difficulties, intravesical treatment problems were influenced by inhabitation, physical function, cognitive function, pain and urinary symptom were influenced by culture background. The therapy factors including course of diseases, operation mode, recurrence, syndrome and chemotherapy, which were important factors affecting therapy correlative symptoms inluding pain, nausea/vomiting, urinary symptom, infulenced the patients' physical function, role function and social function.Conclusion:1 The Chinese version EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BLS24 are easily understood and quickly to completed. And they are reliable and valid.2 The SBC patients with different chemotherapy and operation mode seems to have differential QOL.3 The social support and the copying style have significant correlation with QOL of the SBC patients. The QOL of the SBC patients were influenced by many factors such as gender, age, inhabitation, culture degree, course of diseases, operation mode, recurrence, syndrome and chemotherapy.