Patient's response using freetext in the University of Washington Quality of Life Scale.
BACKGROUND
The University of Washington Quality of Life Scale is the only validated head-and-neck-specific questionnaire that invites patients to write comments in the form of freetext. Freetext allows the questionnaire to record issues raised by the patient.


METHODS
Two hundred seventy-eight consecutive patients treated between 1995 and 1999 by primary surgery for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma completed the UWQOL. Freetext from these patients was independently assessed by the authors.


RESULTS
Comments were made by 61% of patients at some time. Completion was independent of clinicodemographic characteristics. Comments were predominantly head and neck (39%) and medical (35%). In 55% of cases, the overall tone was negative. Around a quarter of issues was not part of a validated health-related quality-of-life questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
Freetext gives the multidisciplinary team a better insight into the concerns of the patient and can be used to promote a holistic approach.
Millsopp
Lynne
L
Oral Surgery Department, Liverpool University Dental Hospital, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, United Kingdom. lynnmillsopp@hotmail.com
Humphris
Gerry
G
Lowe
Derek
D
Rogers
Simon Neave
SN
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires