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. 2020 Oct;130(10):2354-2359.
doi: 10.1002/lary.28360. Epub 2019 Dec 4.

Health literacy: Impact on quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors

Marci Lee Nilsen  1 , Jessica Moskovitz  2 , Lingyun Lyu  3 , Christine Harrison  2 , Evan Randazza  4 , Shyamal Das Peddada  3 , Jonas T Johnson  2
Affiliations

Health literacy: Impact on quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors

Marci Lee Nilsen et al. Laryngoscope. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: Although inadequate health literacy has been shown to impact health outcomes in other cancers, little is known about its impact in head and neck cancer (HNC). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of inadequate health literacy and evaluate the association between health literacy and quality of life (QOL) in HNC survivors.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of HNC survivors evaluated in a multidisciplinary HNC survivorship clinic. Survivors had to be ≥1-year postcompletion of treatment to be included in the analysis. Health literacy was assessed via self-report with the Brief Health Literacy Screen (score <10 indicating inadequate health literacy), and QOL was measured using the University of Washington QOL questionnaire. Linear regression with robust standard errors was utilized to evaluate the association between health literacy and QOL.

Results: Of the 218 survivors evaluated, 13.8% (n = 30) demonstrated inadequate health literacy. After adjusting for age, marital status, site, stage, treatment modality, and years since treatment completion, social-emotional QOL scores for survivors with adequate health literacy were estimated to be 10.67 points higher than those with inadequate health literacy (P = .013). Health literacy was not significantly associated with physical QOL after adjusting for covariates (P = .130).

Conclusion: Inadequate health literacy is associated with a lower social QOL in HNC survivors, and among those with inadequate health literacy, interventions to ameliorate the impact on QOL are needed.

Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:2354-2359, 2020.

Keywords: Head and neck cancer; health literacy; quality of life; survivorship.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials Flow diagram.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Association between health literacy (BHLS) and quality of life (QOL). (Left) Physical QOL. (Right) Social QOL. Hypothesis tests were performed after adjusting for age, marital status, site, stage, treatment modality, and years since treatment. BHLS = Brief Health Literacy Screen; QOL = quality of life.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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