Abstract:
Background: Cancer causes more deaths than Acquired Immune Deficiency Virus,
tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Chemotherapy is a concentrated and repeated
treatment drug regimen that has many adverse reactions, which can affect the quality of
life of cancer patients. Cancer patient response to therapy can be determined through
assessing health related quality of life.
Objective: This study was designed to assess health related quality of life and associated
factors among adult cancer patients on chemotherapy at Tikur Anbessa Specialized and
Referral Hospital follow up clinic from March 28–April, 27, 2016.
Methods: An institution based Cross sectional study was conducted on 317 adult cancer
patients on chemotherapy at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Referral Hospital, from March
28 –April, 27, 2016. The subjects were identified using systematic sampling technique
from sampling frame. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer,
Quality of life Questionnaire, version 3 instrument were used to measure Health related
quality of life. Data were edited, coded and entered using Epi data version 3.1 and
exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to organize
data and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to assess factors affecting
health related quality of life and results were displayed using charts, graphs and tables.
Results: the mean age of respondents were 41.80 (SD=21.06), 252(82.65%) were women,
150(49.2%) were between the age of 18-40 years. Above one fourth (33%) of cancer
patients on chemotherapy had poor health related quality of life. According to this study
duration of illness 1-5years, P<0.001 and >5 years, p=0.018, monthly income 301-1200,
p=0.004, 12001-3199, p= 0.046 were significantly associated with overall health related
quality of life. Emotional functioning, P=0.030, loss of appetite, P=0.002 and insomnia,
P= 0.006 for global health, 3rd line of chemotherapy p=0.025 for functional, drug side
effects p=0.001 for symptom scale were significantly associated.
Conclusion & recommendation: above one-fourth of cancer patient on chemotherapy
had poor health related quality of life. Duration of illness and monthly income are
independent predictors of health related quality of life. Therefore, palliative care team
should be develop treatment strategies for those patients.
