Computerised assessment of quality of life in oncology patients and carers.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the feasibility of a computerised assessment and to compare resulting quality of life scores among oncology carers and patients.


METHODS
Six hundred and twenty-two subjects (carers n = 234, patients n = 388) attending an oncology or haematology clinic completed the WHO-Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and demographics on a personal computer. Age- and gender-standardised scores for carers and patients were compared to community norms. Carers were compared with patients using six three-way ANOVAs.


RESULTS
In total, 60.3% (234/388) of the patients had an accompanying carer attempt the survey and 93.6% (219 of 234) completed all items. The four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach alpha coefficients). Carers had lower quality of life on three domains (physical, psychological and environmental), and patients on two domains (physical and psychological), compared with the general community. Carers had higher overall satisfaction with their health than patients (standardised difference of 0.52 units-moderate effect).


CONCLUSIONS
A computerised system for assessing quality of life was feasible and found that carers and patients had significant impairments in quality of life. Clinicians and services interested in quality of life for carers and patients may use computerised assessments to identify those with poorer quality of life.
Carter
Gregory
G
School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Gregory.Carter@newcastle.edu.au
Lewin
Terry
T
Rashid
Ghizala
G
Adams
Catherine
C
Clover
Kerrie
K
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization