Health-Related Quality of Life and Social Support of Elderly Lung and Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

Introduction Increasing life expectancy has led to a higher incidence of cancer in the elderly, thus making them vulnerable and worsening their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and their need for support. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the HRQoL and social support in elderly Greek lung and gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 104 elderly cancer patients, who were receiving chemotherapy in the outpatient department and inpatient ward of a General Hospital in Athens. The data were collected using purposive sampling between December 2019 and May 2020, and included demographic and clinical characteristics, the HRQoL questionnaire, Short Form 36 (SF36), and the Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ-2000). Results The participants' median age was 72 years; the majority were male (62.5%) and had lung cancer (57.7%). The SF36 data revealed a relatively moderate (42.7–62.61) HRQoL in most subscales. The “Pain” subscale recorded the highest score (75.0), and the “social function” subscale the lowest (42.79). The PQR-2000 indicated a satisfactory level of social support (81.65), with values ranging between 48 and 105; married patients with higher education scored more highly ( p < .05). Patients aged 65–75 years reported better HRQoL and greater social support than older patients. In addition, patients with their own family and a relatively high income reported better HRQoL and social support compared to single individuals, with low income, who were cared for by their children. Positive and statistically significant ( p < .05) correlations were found between the SF36 subscales of role functioning/physical, vitality, general health, emotional well-being and the PRQ-2000. Conclusion The HRQoL and social support of elderly cancer patients positively affect the course of their health. Healthcare systems and social services should address the multiplying needs of these patients with targeted interventions to support their well-being.

How TikTok Is Being Used to Help Individuals Cope With Breast Cancer: Cross-sectional Content Analysis

“…Social support has long been noted as being beneficial [29], especially in health situations [30] and more specifically in the case of patients with cancer, survivors, and their loved ones [31][32][33]. In the digital era, social support can easily take place through technological mediums, whether through preplanned interventions or spontaneously through individual use [22,[34][35][36][37][38]. Our findings corroborate with this existing research in that the overwhelming majority of videos in our sample mentioned support, coping, and advocacy [39,40].…”

Effect of caregiver burden on anticipatory grief among caregivers of elderly cancer patients: Chain mediation role of family functioning and resilience

“…There is a relationship between caregiver burden and anticipatory grief, with caregiver burden explaining about 36% of the variance in anticipatory grief, F = 6.343, p < 0.001, Adjusted R 2 = 0.36. Elderly cancer patients tend to suffer from fatigue, loneliness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, anxiety, pain, depression, and multiple morbidities ( Kyriazidou et al, 2022 ). Therefore, caregivers need to provide long-term assistance with activities of daily living such as grooming, feeding, bathing, walking, and dressing ( Bonin-Guillaume et al, 2022 ).…”

Social support score in patients with malignant diseases—with sociodemographic and medical characteristics

“…There is also a study that shows the connection between a lower level of social support and a significantly higher level of depression, suggesting that social support contributes to mental health and a higher quality of life ( Eom et al, 2013 ). Studies have shown that patients with strong social support develop more optimistic feelings, which enable them to increase their confidence and hope that they can successfully fight and cure cancer ( Kyriazidou et al, 2022 ). Studies examining the relationship between social support, depression, and quality of life in patients with various cancer diagnoses found that patients who did not have significant social support were more likely to suffer from depression, had lower functional abilities, and had a lower quality of life ( Korotkin et al, 2019 ), which is in line with the results of our reaserch in a statistically significant influence of the anxiety and depression as a predictor the bad social support.…”