title: The quality of life of patients with malignant gliomas and their caregivers.
abstract: The grim prognosis that accompanies a diagnosis of a malignant glioma affects quality of life (QOL) as patients attempt to adapt to overwhelming losses. Caregivers also experience negative changes in QOL as responsibilities grow. This pilot study measured the QOL of patients with malignant gliomas prior to tumor progression and the QOL of their caregivers. It examined negative and positive factors that impacted the QOL while highlighting positive factors often overlooked in brain tumor QOL research. Standardized QOL questionnaires and focus groups were utilized. Patients experienced distress in the domains of physical, psychological, and social QOL but in all four of the QOL domains there were also positive outcomes. Caregiver data demonstrated mostly positive outcomes in the four QOL domains except for loved one's declining health and fear that the loved one would die.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurosciences, Department of Utilization Management and Social Work, Huntington Hospital, Pasadena, California 91206, USA. connie.munoz@huntingtonhospital.com
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juarez
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Portnow
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fineman
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badie
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamelak
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferrell
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D055815:Young Adult