Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Jan/Feb;43(1):12-21.
doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000677.

Correlation Between Postoperative Health-Related Quality of Life and Care Needs of Oral Cancer Patients

Tze-Fang Wang  1 , Yu-Jie Li, Lee-Chen Chen, Chyuan Chou, Su-Chen Yang
Affiliations

Correlation Between Postoperative Health-Related Quality of Life and Care Needs of Oral Cancer Patients

Tze-Fang Wang et al. Cancer Nurs. 2020 Jan/Feb.

Abstract

Background: Oral cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer in Taiwan in terms of incidence and death rate and results in at least 2700 deaths each year.

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the postoperative health-related quality of life (QOL) and care needs of oral cancer patients comprehensively and to evaluate the correlation between health-related QOL and care needs.

Interventions/methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 126 oral cancer patients who had received surgical treatment within the previous 2 years and were without cognitive impairment. Each patient completed a demographic questionnaire, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Quality of Life Scale, and the Short-Form Cancer Needs Questionnaire.

Results: Female patients and patients receiving 3 or more chemotherapy treatments were significantly associated with increased Short-Form Cancer Needs Questionnaire scores (higher level of care needs) (β = 0.177 and 28.49, both P < .05) and patients receiving 3 or more chemotherapy treatments were significantly associated with increased Head and Neck Cancer Quality of Life Scale scores (higher level of symptoms and problems) (β = 27.77, P = .007). Results of stepwise multiple linear regression analysis indicated that 4 oral cancer-related symptoms and problems, "trouble with social contacts," "swallowing problems," "teeth problems," and "feeling ill," were significantly associated with higher care needs in oral cancer patients (all P ≤ .05).

Conclusion: A significant correlation exists between health-related QOL and care needs.

Implications for practice: Using a valid health-related QOL scale may help nurses determine their perceived physical and psychological care needs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

References

    1. World Health Organization, 2005. Global data on incidence of oral cancer maps. http://www.who.int/oral_health/publications/cancer_maps/en/. Accessed November 6, 2015.
    1. Petersen PE. Strengthening the prevention of oral cancer: the WHO perspective. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2005;33:397–399. - PubMed
    1. Office of Statistics. Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2015. In: Cause of Death Statistics. 2014: https://www.mohw.gov.tw/cp-3327-33592-2.html. Accessed July 1, 2015.
    1. TCOG Oral Cancer Editing Group. Oral cancer clinical practice guideline [in Chinese]. Taiwan: National Health Research Institute; 2011. http://www.nhri.org.tw/NHRI_ADM/userfiles/file/tcog/100oralpg.pdf. Accessed November 6, 2015.
    1. Brown L, Rieger JM, Harris J, et al. A longitudinal study of functional outcomes after surgical resection and microvascular reconstruction for oral cancer: tongue mobility and swallowing function. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010;68:2690–2700. - PubMed

Publication types