title: Determinants of health-related quality of life in long-term survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: In this study health-related quality of life (HRQL) in long-term survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) was evaluated and the findings were analyzed using a conceptual model developed by Wilson and Cleary. A better understanding of the relationships between the variables explaining HRQL may improve care and rehabilitation of HL patients. The populations were long-term survivors of HL (n = 121) and a control group (n = 236). Participants were approached with one semi-structured interview, an extended version of the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life - Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW) and three standardized questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, Short Form 12 health survey questionnaire (SF-12) and Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale. No differences regarding the mean scores were found between the HL survivors and the controls except for the SF-12, where the patients considered themselves to be in poorer physical health than the controls (p < 0.01). Even though physical health was diminished, patients did not evaluate overall QoL worse compared to the controls. The major determinants of perception of general QoL were self-rated physical and mental health as well as SOC. The HRQL of persons who have survived a median of 14 years with HL is similar to that of controls.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing Research, Department of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet. lena.wettergren@medks.ki.se
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wettergren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkholm
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Axdorph
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langius-Eklöf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013548:Sweden