Perceptions of quality of life and quality of care for patients with cancer receiving biological therapy.

  • 1 April 1992
    • journal article
    • Vol. 19  (3) , 433-40
Abstract
This retrospective, descriptive study was undertaken to identify patient and family perceptions about quality of life (QOL) and quality of care (QOC) after experimental biological therapy. A mail survey that included instruments designed to measure QOL (the Profile of Mood States [POMS] and the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment [Lasa]) and QOC was sent to patients (response rate, 60%) and to relatives of deceased patients (response rate, 70%). Bivariate and multivariate statistics were used to analyze the data. Patients reported a relatively good quality of life, as measured by POMS and LASA scores. The majority of living patients and of family members of deceased patients were positive about the QOC received; relatives were significantly less positive than patients. Four components were significant in respondents' assessment of QOC: adequate symptom control, availability of support services, communication with the medical team, and receiving information about response to treatment. The findings suggest that there is a need to supplement survival data and biomedical outcomes with information about patient and family perceptions about care and treatment.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: