title: Perceptions of quality of life and quality of care for patients with cancer receiving biological therapy.
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.
authors.affiliation: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Rieker
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fogelberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors