Feasibility of a standardised quality of life questionnaire in a weekly diary format for inoperable lung cancer patients

Abstract

a b s t r a c tObjective: Previous studies testing quality of life assessment (QoL) in routine oncology clinical practice have been based at single institutions and many have utilised touch-screen computer technology. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of a low-tech QoL diary that could be held by the patient and shared with professionals across the health care setting. Methods:The EORTC-QLQ-C30 and LC13 were used and adapted into an A5 diary format. Patients were instructed to complete the questions each week at home and to share the information with any health professional involved in their care. Feasibility of the diary format was examined through assessment of compliance, utilisation and satisfaction using a mixed methods approach.Results: Diary completion rates were good; however, utilisation of the diary was poor, with only 23% (13/57) of patients stating explicitly that they had shared the diary with a health professional. Patients were generally satisfied with the diary format; however, qualitative analysis did identify some negative effects of diary completion. Conclusions: A patient-held QoL diary is feasible for a proportion of palliative care patients but the importance of training and support for patients and staff cannot be underestimated when implementing a new tool into clinical practice.

Implementation and Use of a Patient Symptom Diary During Chemotherapy: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of the Nurse Perspective

“…Specifically, the authors wanted to get a better understanding of the factors that influence nurses' attitudes toward symptom diaries and their use, or nonuse, in daily practice. Previous studies (Børøsund, Ruland, Moore, & Ekstedt, 2013;Hoekstra et al, 2006;Mills et al, 2008), as well as the current survey results, show that adequate application of symptom-report tools in routine practice is complex. Insight into the experience of healthcare professionals working with such tools can inform strategies that aim to ensure adoption, appropriate implementation, and maintenance of these interventions, and, consequently, to ensure their desired health outcomes (Bartholomew et al, 2011).…”

“…Several studies of the outcomes of a self-report instrument found that only in a minority of cases were the diary contents discussed with healthcare professionals (Hoekstra, de Vos, van Duijn, Schadé, & Bindels, 2006;Mills, Murray, Johnston, & Donnelly, 2008). Poor implementation of the interventions may explain the negative results in these studies (Blackwood, 2006;Hoekstra et al, 2006;Howell et al, 2015;Locklear et al, n.d.;Mills et al, 2008).…”

Use of the lung cancer–specific Quality of Life Questionnaire EORTC QLQ‐LC13 in clinical trials: A systematic review of the literature 20 years after its development

“…The remaining 314 records dealt with the LC13; however, of these, 74 records were excluded because they did not present original data obtained by means of the module. Consequently, n = 240 articles were considered clinical studies according to our definition and were included in further analyses …”

Routine Monitoring of Quality of Life for Patients with Breast Cancer: An Acceptability and Field Test

“…Comparison of present with past functioning is likely to boost patients' morale if they see that their symptoms have decreased and their well-being has improved. Alternatively, the questionnaires draw attention to their illness and associated symptoms, which patients might wish to ignore (Mills, Murray, Johnston, & Donnelly, 2008), especially when the condition deteriorates.…”