title: Gender differences in the dimensions of quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore gender differences and similarities in the dimensions of quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of the Multidimensional Quality of Life Scale--Cancer Version (MQOLS--CA) data from two different research studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple outpatient oncology sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  The typical female participant (n = 254) was 58 years old (SD +/- 11.3) with 14 years of education, married/partnered (64%), Caucasian (88%), and diagnosed with breast (47%) or colorectal (16%) cancer. The typical male participant (n = 222) was 60 years old (SD +/- 14) with 14.3 years of education, married/partnered (69%), Caucasian (85%), and diagnosed with colorectal (31%) or prostate (13%) cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Factor analytic procedures and reliability testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  QOL as measured by the MQOLS-CA, gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For women, two factors emerged from the analysis procedures-psychosocial well-being (7 items) and physical competence (6 items). For the men, two different factors emerged--vitality (8 items) and personal resources (4 items). None of the cancer-specific items from the MQOLS-CA loaded on any of the factors for either gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of QOL requires gender-specific questions to accurately address the dimensions of the concept of QOL in females and males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional research is warranted to replicate these findings. Gender-specific interventions could then be developed and tested to maximize the QOL of all patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dibble
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miaskowski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012723:Sex; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires