Determinants of Quality of Life in Lung Cancer Patients

To examine the relationships of self-care, symptoms, and a variety of demographic factors to quality of life (QOL), and to identify determinants of QOL in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

A cross-sectional, correlational study.

159 patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy were recruited from three southern hospitals in Taiwan. Four instruments were used: the Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30-item (QLQ-C30), M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF), and Self-Care Behavior Scale (SCBS).

Lung cancer patients rated lower scores of self-care behaviors on food choice and nutrition maintenance, regular exercise and sleep, and medical compliance. Being younger, having spouses as main caregivers, having food choice and nutrition maintenance, and getting regular exercise and sleep were associated with better QOL. Degree of interference with life, age, food choice and nutrition maintenance, and psychological symptoms were found to predict functional QOL and accounted for 43% of total variance.

The findings identified factors influencing QOL and provided evidence for designing an intervention to enhance QOL in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The findings may be useful for guiding intervention development for early detection and management of symptom interference with daily living, and place greater focus on patient self-care to promote food choice and nutrition maintenance, especially in older patients and those whose caregivers are not their spouses.