title: Quality of life and health status of dyads of women with lung cancer and family members.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare the quality of life (QOL) and health status of dyads of women with lung cancer and their family members and to explore the correlates of family members' QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview, self-report.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 dyads consisting of women with lung cancer and their family members.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-time assessment of family members' and patients' QOL, health status, and demographics and patients' clinical characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Family and patient QOL and health status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL of the dyads was not significantly related. Poorer physical QOL of family members was associated with older age, comorbid conditions, less education, and alcohol use. Poorer emotional QOL of family members was associated with younger age, depressed mood, and not being a spouse. Fifty-nine percent of family members had comorbid conditions. Significantly more family members continued to smoke and use alcohol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QOL of family members of patients with lung cancer is diminished when their own health status is compromised. Further study is needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional study is needed to identify family members at risk for diminished QOL and with compromised health status because these factors might affect ability to support patients with lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. lsarna@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sarna
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.forename: Jean K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Roma D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chernecky
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: Leda Layo
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Danao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology