• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.15-26
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• 2012

Objective : Only a few studies have investigated the life expectance and health related quality of life (HRQOL) about stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the life expectancy, preference based quality of life(QOL) and quality adjusted life years(QALYs) of stroke patients. Methods : We used data of 10,533 adults from 4th Korean national health and nutritional examination survey 2009 for evaluating HRQOL of stroke patients. We also analyzed the life expectancy for stroke patients using life table from national public health data. Finally we calculated the QALYs with and without stroke conditions and assumed the difference of QALYs. Results : The mean age of stroke patients was assumed to be 65. Lower income and less educated groups were prone to be exposed to the stroke conditions. Common comorbidities of stroke patients were ischemic heart attack, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The proportions of participants who reported problems in each of the five EQ-5D dimensions increased significantly at chronic stroke group. Participants with chronic stroke conditions had an almost 6-fold higher risk of impaired health utility(the lowest quartile of EQ-5D utility score) compared with non stroke participants, after adjustment of age, gender, income, education, comorbidity variables. The differences of life expectancy and QALYs between non-stroke and stroke group from the age of 65 till death were assumed to be 0.767 year and 3.103 QALYs. Conclusions : Although the authors analyzed the affecting factors of QOL and assumed the differences of life expectance and QALYs about stroke patients using domestic national data and statistic references, well designed cohort studies should be needed to prove the causal effects of affecting factors and to assume more correct QALY differences.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.56-66
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• 2020

Objectives: In this study, the clinical characteristics of OSA patients and the quality of life before and after CPAP use were compared to determine the degree of improvement in quality of life according to CPAP use. Methods: Age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Modified Mallampatti Score, Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were compared between men and women through medical records. To understand the degree of improvement in quality of life resulting from use of CPAP, a personal telephone call was made to compare the VAS scores for quality of life before and after CPAP use. Results: In height (HT) (Z = -4.525, p < 0.001), weight (BW) (Z = -2.844, p < 0.05), sleep quality (PSQI) (Z = -2.671, p < 0.05), and arousal index (AI) (Z = -2.105, p < 0.05), there was a difference between men and women (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the remaining variables. Cross-analysis (Chi-square test) confirmed a difference between severity and sex of OSA. It has been found that there is no statistically significant order in size according to level-specific severity of OSA for PreCPAP QOL, PostCPAP QOL, CPAPUse Months, and CPAP4Hr/d (%) (p > 0.05). The difference between AHI before and after CPAP was 36.48 ± 21.54 (t = 11.609, p < 0.001) and the difference between QOL before and after CPAP was -25.43 ± 22.06 (t = -7.901, p < 0.001), both of which were significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Among OSA patients, there were differences in height (HT), weight (BW), sleep quality (PSQI), arousal index (AI), and severity of OSA between men and women, but the quality of life before and after CPAP was different. However, there was no difference between men and women in quality of life before and after CPAP. In addition, quality of life in OSA patients improved after using CPAP.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.1005-1014
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• 2009

Purpose:Epilepsy of child may cause high level of psychosocial difficulties for parents including stigmatization and stress and therefore worsen their quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mediating effect of perceived stigma against epilepsy on QOL among parents with epileptic child. Methods:Two hundred and sixty parents of epileptic child recruited from five separated university hospital child neurology clinics specializing in epilepsy completed a demographic questionnaire, a medical questionnaire, a perceived stigma questionnaire and the Ro's Quality of Life Inventory, a popular tool for evaluating QOL of adults in Korea which is composed of 6 domains and 47 questions. Data was analyzed with SPSS 14.0 program using frequency analysis and descriptive analysis and with AMOS 7.0 program using Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. Results:The level of parents' QOL was relatively fair. SEM analysis on the quality of life level of parents showed that all variables (especially having religion, the monthly income, employment state, age of child, the leisure time, the perceived stigma level against epilepsy, and seizure frequency) directly affect the quality of life level of parents and that disease-related variables also affect the quality of life level of parents indirectly through the mediating factor (the perceived stigma), where the indirect effect is large with the existence of combined disabilities. The total effect on the quality of life level of parents is large with the existence of combined disabilities, the perceived stigma level, the leisure time, having religion, and the monthly income. Conclusion:The results of this study indicated that many factors including parents' perceived stigma may affect the quality of life of parents with epileptic children directly, and that some disease-related factors may affect indirectly through a mediating factor, the perceived stigma. Multidisciplinary collaboration would be imperative for their welfare.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7721-7725
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• 2015

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the predictive role of religious coping in quality of life of breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, from October 2014 to May 2015. A total of 224 women with breast cancer completed measures of socio-demographic information, religious coping (brief RCOPE), and quality of life (FACT-B). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression analysis. Results: The mean age was 47.1 (SD=9.07) years and the majority were married (81.3%). The mean score for positive religious coping was 22.98 (SD=4.09) while it was 10.13 (SD=3.90) for negative religious coping. Multiple linear regression showed positive and negative religious coping as predictor variables explained a significant amount of variance in overall QOL score ($R^2=.22$, P=.001) after controlling for socio-demographic, and clinical variables. Positive religious coping was associated with improved QOL (${\beta}=0.29$; p=0.001). In contrast, negative religious coping was significantly associated with worse QOL (${\beta}=-0.26$; p=0.005). Conclusions: The results indicated the used types of religious coping strategies are related to better or poorer QOL and highlight the importance of religious support in breast cancer care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1479-1485
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• 2015

Background: Even after completion of conventional treatment, breast cancer survivors continue to exhibit a variety of psychological and physical symptoms, affecting their quality of life. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between socio-demography, medical characteristics and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) of a sample of breast cancer survivors in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: This pilot cross-sectional survey was conducted among breast cancer survivors (n=40) who were members of Breast Cancer Support Group Centre Johor Bahru. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to identify the relationships between socio-demography, medical characteristics and HR-QOL of the participants. Results: Living with family and completion of treatment were significant predictive factors of self-rated QOL, while living with family and ever giving birth significantly predicted satisfaction with health and physical health. Psychological health had moderate correlations with number of children and early cancer stage. Survivors' higher personal income (>MYR4,500) was the only significant predictor of social relationship, while age, income more than MYR4,500 and giving birth significantly predicted environment domain score. Conclusions: The findings suggested the survivors coped better in all four HR-QOL domains if they were married, lived with family, had children and were employed.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.313-322
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify over time the changes of cancer symptom, depression and quality of life (QOL) among people who had stomach or colorectal cancer. Methods: Of the 74 participants recruited, 67 participated in the study. Participants were asked to complete three instruments at three different time. The instruments were the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Gastrointestinal Cancer Module, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. The questionnaires were administered before chemotherapy, toward the end of chemotherapy, and six months after the completion of adjuvant therapy. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measure ANOVA. Results: At the immediately after chemotherapy point, the most frequent symptom was lack of appetite, followed by fatigue and problem with remembering things. The mean score for depression was 8.27 with a prevalence of 31.3%. The mean score for quality of life was 61.88 out of 135. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant increase in cancer symptom (F=23.22, p<.001) and depression (F=35.29, p<.001) after chemotherapy. However, improvement was observed 6 months after the completion of chemotherapy. QOL (F=33.73, p<.001) also showed similar patterns as observed with cancer symptom and depression. Cancer symptom was the strongest predictor of QoL at pre-chemotherapy point. but depression was the strongest predictor at immediately after chemotherapy point. Conclusion: Chemotherapy is highly associated with cancer symptom, depression and QOL in patients with cancer. The nursing intervention is needed to relieve depression as well as cancer symptoms to improve QOL in patients undergoing chemotherapy from baseline to follow-up.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.85-90
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support and quality of life (QOL) in elderly people and to examine potential cross-cultural differences. Methods: The author surveyed 82 elderly people, over the age of 65, residing in a nursing home in a Korean rural area and 73 Korean immigrants living in Houston Texas USA who were also elderly. The degree of social support was measured with 20 questions that were answered using a 5 grade scale. The quality of life was measured in 5 fields (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each scored using a 3 grade scale) with EUROQOL EQ-5D. Results: The mean score of social support was 65.43 for domestic Korean elderly people (range: 26 to 98); it was 73.43 for elderly Korean Americans (range: 26 to 100). The score was lower for domestic Koreans despite the traditional environment (p<0.05). Regarding QOL, 61% of domestic Korean elderly people complained of pain/discomfort and 47.5% appeared to have anxiety/depression, 30.5% complained of limitations in mobility, 20.7% reported limitations in usual activities, and 14.6% had limitations in basic self.care activity such as washing or dressing. A similar proportion of Korean American elderly had limitations in usual activities (19.2%) and self care activity (9.5%). But significantly fewer complained of anxiety/depression (16.5%, p<0.01) or pain/discomfort (38.3%, p<0.01). The major differences in psychological domains of QOL may be related to the degree of social support and the difference in the socio.cultural environment. Conclusion: Social support is a major determinant of QOL, especially for psychological domains, and these relationships are under the influence of the socio.cultural environment.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.189-196
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• 2020

The study seeks to conduct an oral stereognosis assessment of the elderly, identify characteristics and confirm the association with cognition, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(IADL), Quality of Life(QOL). Oral stereognosis(OS) was evaluated on 20 senior citizens aged 75 or older living in Gyeonggi-do. Cognition was used as MoCA-K(Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean), IADL as K-IADL(Korean Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), and QOL as GQOL(Geriatric Quality of Life scale). OS decreases accuracy with age, unaffected by the level of education. Shapes with clear edges and broad sides were found to be easy to recognize. OS is related to cognition, IADL and QOL. Through this study, the OS of the elderly could predict the functional level and QOL, including cognition. Therefore, it can be used as a basic research for the physical and mental health management of the elderly through oral lectures, and the development of oral stereognosis tools for the elderly through large scale subjects should be made.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5639-5644
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to determine effects of doctor-patient communication on the quality of life among breast cancer survivors in 16 communities in southern China. Methods: Multistage random sampling was to use to recruit 260 females from the Guangzhou Cancer Registry Database who were diagnosed with breast cancer. A questionnaire provided data on the doctor-patient communication (including the doctor's attitude, the patient's participation with the medical decision and information about the disease) and QOL (quality of life), as measured using FACT-B. Univariate analysis, non-conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between the doctor-patient communication and QOL. Results: Females who received good attitudes from doctors demonstrated higher FACT-B (OR=4.65, 95% CI: 1.68-12.86), social well-being (OR=5.88, 95% CI: 2.16-16.05), emotional well-being (OR=4.77, 95% CI: 1.92-11.88), and functional well-being ((OR=5.26, 95% CI: 1.90-14.52) compared to the females who encountered worse attitudes from their doctor, adjusting for age, education, marriage, employment, family income, years since diagnosis, TNM stage, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and side effects, particularly when the TNM stage was 0-II and the patients exhibited no side effects. Regardless of the length of time after diagnosis, doctors' good attitudes resulted in higher QOL scores. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the doctor-patient communication has a significant association with the QOL of breast cancer survivors, mainly dependent on the doctors' attitude. Effective intervention is required to develop optimal doctor-patient communication.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4235-4240
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• 2012

Objectives: Family caregivers (FCs) are often the primary source of social and emotional support for cancer patients and play a major role in how well they manage their illness. The aim of this study was to create an Turkish version of the Quality of Life - Family Version (QOL-FV) and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of FCs of cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out with the FCs of 218 patients with cancer. Data were collected with a Demographic Questionnaire and the QOL-FV and The Multidimentional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The QOL-FV was developed by Ferrell and Grant and is composed of 4 subdimensions. Linguistic validity, translation, back translation, and content validity were tested with expert opinions. Test-retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Construct validity was tested by factor analysis and with the scale of the MSPSS. Results: The family caregivers were between the ages of 46-56 (32.6%), a great number of them being male (52.8%). The scale is made up of four subdimensions. The result of the test-retest analysis of this scale was calculated as r:0.86. As a result of the reliability analysis, six items were eliminated from the scale, factor analyses were fulfilled according to varimax transformation through the method of principal components. Four new subdimensions were restrustured at the end of the analysis. The scale of Cronbach ${\alpha}$ coefficient was calculated as 0.90. Concurrent validity showed low correlations with the MSPSS (r=0.29). Conclusions: The QOL-FV, adapted into Turkish, was found to have sufficient reliability and validity.