title: Associations of cancer and other chronic medical conditions with SF-6D preference-based scores in Medicare beneficiaries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Documenting the impact of different types of cancer on daily functioning and well-being is important for understanding burden relative to other chronic medical conditions. This study examined the impact of 10 different cancers and 13 other chronic medical conditions on health-related quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health-related quality of life data were gathered on the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) between 1998 and 2002. Cancer information was ascertained using the National Cancer Institute's surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program and linked to MHOS data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average SF-6D score was 0.73 (SD = 0.14). Depressive symptoms had the largest unique association with the SF-6D, followed by arthritis of the hip, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma, stroke, and sciatica. In addition, the majority of cancer types were significantly associated with the SF-6D score, with significant negative weights ranging from -0.01 to -0.02 on the 0-1 health utility scale. Distant stage of cancer was associated with large decrements in the SF-6D ranging from -0.04 (prostate) to -0.08 (female breast).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large number of chronic conditions, including cancer, are associated uniquely with decrements in health utility. The cumulative effects of comorbid conditions have substantial impact on daily functioning and well-being of Medicare beneficiaries.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, drhays@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Ron D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.forename: Bryce B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: Ashley Wilder
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Clauser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018426:SEER Program; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology