ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS – A PROSPECTIVE QUESTIONNAIRE STUDY

  • Dishan Shah Prof. and Head of the Department, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India
  • Mohan Raju Penumatcha Post Graduate, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India.
  • Anil Managutti Prof. and Head of the Department, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India
  • Shailesh Menat Reader, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India
  • Jigar Patel Post Graduate, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India.
  • Harsh Patel Post Graduate, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India
Keywords: head and neck cancer, quality of life, questionnaire, depression

Abstract

Background: Head and neck cancers are commonly encountered in malignant tumors in dental practice. Patients attending the clinics for the treatment of these conditions have their own expectations towards their illness. Aim: To assess the patient’s perspectives on quality of life (QoL) in head and neck cancers.

Material and methods: 276 patients were included for the study and well-structured consumer quality of life (CQoL) questionnaire was designed and inputs from the patients were recorded and transferred to the database for statistical analysis. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 22. Descriptive statistics paired t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation was done to compare the association between the subgroups. (P<0.05).

Results: A total of 278 subjects were included for the study of which 191 male and 87 female. The mean age of diagnosis in males is 47.3 +/- 11.1 years. And in females are 50.6 +/- 13.9 years. The most preferred language for answering was Gujarati (187 67.2%), followed by Hindi (91, 32.8%) and English (0,0). the critical issues found in the questionnaire were 1) when questioned about the pain 153 (55%)subjects had pain and pain are negligible in 86 (30.9%) subjects. 2) appetite levels – good appetite 163 (58.6%), diminished in 72 (25.8%). 3) depression about having cancer – 114 (41%) stated yes and 37 (13%) were normal. 4) family relationship – 199 reported that their family relationship was not disturbed and on the contrary, 54 subjects were neglected by them.

Conclusion: It is important to identify factors that are predictors of a poor physical and psychological outcome after treatment for head and neck cancer because rehabilitation programs could then be optimized on an individual basis and health-care workers could focus better on restoring function and assisting patients to achieve an acceptable QOL.

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How to Cite
1.
Shah D, Penumatcha MR, Managutti A, Menat SM, Patel J, Patel H. ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS – A PROSPECTIVE QUESTIONNAIRE STUDY. Med. res. chronicles [Internet]. 2015Sep.30 [cited 2024May6];2(5):610-7. Available from: https://medrech.com/index.php/medrech/article/view/128
Issue
Vol. 2 No. 5 (2015): Sep-Oct
Section
Original Research Article

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