title: Long-term effect of a nurse-led psychosocial intervention on health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients are prone to have a poor health-related quality of life after cancer treatment. This study investigated the effect of the nurse counselling and after intervention (NUCAI) on the health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms of HNC patients between 12 and 24 months after cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and five HNC patients were randomly allocated to NUCAI (N=103) or usual care (N=102). The 12-month nurse-led NUCAI is problem-focused and patient-driven and aims to help HNC patients manage with the physical, psychological and social consequences of their disease and its treatment. Health-related quality of life was evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ H&N35. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the CES-D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 months the intervention group showed a significant (P<0.05) improvement in emotional and physical functioning, pain, swallowing, social contact, mouth opening and depressive symptoms. At 18 months, global quality of life, role and emotional functioning, pain, swallowing, mouth opening and depressive symptoms were significantly better in the intervention group than in the control group, and at 24 months emotional functioning and fatigue were significantly better in the intervention group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NUCAI effectively improved several domains of health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms in HNC patients and would seem a promising intervention for implementation in daily clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: 1] Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Street 6.131, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands [2] Departments of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05. 129, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: van der Meulen
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Street 6.131, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Street 6.131, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J R J
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Leeuw
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05. 129, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koole
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Street 6.131, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oosterom
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05. 129, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G-J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hordijk
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Street 6.131, PO Box: 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W J G
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ros
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003376:Counseling; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses; D011788:Quality of Life; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires