Coping and quality of life after total laryngectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how ways of coping and traditional factors (age, sex, time postlaryngectomy, stage of disease, radiation, alaryngeal speech method) predict global quality of life, head and neck cancer-specific quality of life, and voice-related quality-of-life outcomes after total laryngectomy.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
University-based laboratory and speech clinic.


METHODS
Sixty-seven individuals who underwent total laryngectomy secondary to cancer were recruited from support groups and professional contacts. Individuals were at minimum 9 months postlaryngectomy. All outcomes were patient reported and included demographic data as well as a number of validated questionnaires: the Ways of Coping-Cancer Version (WOC-CV) scale, the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) scale, and the University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) composite and global QOL scores.


RESULTS
Fifty-three individuals identified a stressful aspect of their laryngectomy. As a set, traditional variables (age, time postlaryngectomy, alaryngeal speech method) accounted for only 5% of global QOL scores but between 25% and 30% of the variance of composite UW-QOL and V-RQOL scores. Time postlaryngectomy was the strongest traditional predictor. Ways of coping accounted for 23% to 32% of all QOL scores. Avoidant coping strategies (both cognitive and behavioral escape) were among the strongest predictors of poorer QOL. When traditional variables were combined with ways of coping, they together accounted for 26% to 46% of the variance of QOL outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Coping is important to consider when evaluating postlaryngectomy outcomes, above and beyond traditionally investigated factors.
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA. teadie@u.washington.edu
Tanya L
TL
Eadie
Brianne C
BC
Bowker
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome