Analysis of the Performance Characteristics of the University of Washington Quality of Life Instrument and Its Modification (UW-QOL-R)

Abstract

The UW-QOL can be effectively and accurately used to compare treatment effects in the management of head and neck cancer. With this revised instrument, the 10 items appear to measure the domains of overall QOL in a highly consistent and reliable fashion over time.

Simplifying head and neck microvascular reconstruction

“…Results are shown in Figure 1 for a total of 24 patients in this study who had completed the preoperative and 12‐month evaluations. Consistent with other reports for head and neck quality‐of‐life data,18, 19 scores demonstrated a drop and gradual recovery but did not reach preoperative levels (Figure 1). These results compare favorably with other findings in this patient population 18, 19…”

Clinical Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

“…Patients who took the survey more than 12 months after diagnosis had better QoL for the SF-36 role-physical, bodily pain, and social functioning domains, as well as the speech, emotion, and pain domains of the HNQoL. Our study confirms findings from other studies regarding time since treatment as predictors of healthrelated QoL 6,45 and validates the usefulness of the HNQoL and SF-36 as sensitive tools for the measurement of the changes known to occur over time in the head and neck cancer patient populations. Other authors have demonstrated that this, to a great degree, represents resolution of tumorrelated symptoms as well as treatment-related adverse effects, but there may also be some resetting of patient expectations as they become accustomed to treatment sequelae.…”

A Prospective Investigation of Swallowing, Nutrition, and Patient-rated Functional Impact Following Altered Fractionation Radiotherapy with Concomitant Boost for Oropharyngeal Cancer

“…Several authors have found that as the time post-treatment lengthens patients' quality of life improves. This may be a result of the resolution of tumour related symptoms or treatment side effects or improved patient adjustment to the ongoing deficits caused by head and neck cancer and its treatment, a pattern which emerged in the current study 44,[84][85][86] . Such preliminary evidence may suggest that further improvements in functioning may be observed.…”