title: A prospective study of electronic quality of life assessment using tablet devices during and after treatment of head and neck cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Electronic data collection is increasingly used for quality of life (QOL) assessments in the field of oncology. It is important to assess the feasibility of these new data capture technologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients at our institution who were 18 years or older with a pathological diagnosis of head and neck cancer were prospectively enrolled. Each patient completed two questionnaires [EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-QLQ-H&N35] administered on a touch-screen tablet device (iPad) at initial consult, during treatment, at the completion of treatment and at each subsequent follow up visit for one year after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 50 patients were included in this study. Although all patients completed the surveys at the initial consult, 86% of initially enrolled patients completed surveys at the end of radiation treatment, and 48% of initially enrolled patients completed surveys by the fourth follow-up visit. Average time to complete the survey for all patients over all time points was 9.8 min (standard deviation 6.1). Age as a continuous variable was significantly associated with time for survey completion (p<0.001), with older age associated with longer survey completion times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL assessment using tablet devices in head and neck cancer patients is feasible, but may be more challenging in elderly patients. Patients ⩾70 years old may benefit from more assistance with electronic forms and should be allotted more time for completing tablet-based QOL surveys.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: erqiliu@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Erqi L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Pollom
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ognibene
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: von Eyben
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Vasu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Divi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunwoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Oncology), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitri Colevas
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Quynh-Thu
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Hara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Data collection; Head and neck cancer; Quality of life; Radiotherapy