Resilience and quality of life (QoL) of head and neck cancer and brain tumour survivors in Pakistan: an analytical cross-sectional study protocol

Abstract

BackgroundCancer is a devastating disease and has detrimental effects on the quality of life (QoL) of cancer survivors and interferes with their treatment compliance. The aim of the study is to assess resilience and QoL among cancer survivors and to evaluate the important factors affecting their resilience and QoL, with respect to the Pakistani cultural context.Method and analysisA cross-sectional study will be conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. A minimum sample size of 250 head and neck cancers and 250 brain tumour survivors with 10% inflation for non-response rate will be required. The SD of QoL and resilience will range from 16.5 to 40.8 for head and neck cancer, and 12.7 to 34.1 for brain tumour, at 5% level of significance, with 2.5 precision. QoL will be assessed by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-H&N35 and EORTC QLQ-BN20 and resilience will be evaluated by Wagnild and Young’s 14-item scale. Mean±SD will be reported for resilience and QoL scores. Unadjusted and adjusted β-coefficients, with 95% CI, will be reported by using multiple linear regression analysis. Correlation analysis will also be performed using Pearson or Spearman rank correlation coefficients. A p value of <0.05 will be considered significant.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Aga Khan University Pakistan’s Ethical Review Committee. Written informed consent will be taken from the participants by trained research assistants. A trained psychologist will provide on-spot counselling to the participants and those identified with severe depression will be referred to a psychiatrist. The study materials will be kept under lock and key and the electronic data base will be password protected and will only be accessed by the research team. The study findings will be disseminated through publications conferences and workshops and research briefs.Trial registration numberClinicaltrials.gov registry (NCT03466762).

Resilience and its associated factors in brain tumor patients in Karachi, Pakistan: An analytical cross‐sectional study

“…Resilience, defined as the capacity of individuals to maintain stable physical and mental functionality in the face of adversity, has been shown to help protect against psychological distress in cancer patients 8 ,. 9 Available literature supports the hypothesis that resilience is a product of multifactorial influences that include illness‐related factors (uncertainty of the illness, disease‐related distress, and treatment‐related distress), individual‐related factors (level of education, personality traits, and coping mechanisms), family related factors (family resources and income, family support, and family structure), and social factors (interpersonal relationships, social integration, and professional/work involvement) 9‐11 . In addition, resilience is closely related with mental health, particularly depression and anxiety 9 ,.…”

“… 9 Available literature supports the hypothesis that resilience is a product of multifactorial influences that include illness‐related factors (uncertainty of the illness, disease‐related distress, and treatment‐related distress), individual‐related factors (level of education, personality traits, and coping mechanisms), family related factors (family resources and income, family support, and family structure), and social factors (interpersonal relationships, social integration, and professional/work involvement) 9‐11 . In addition, resilience is closely related with mental health, particularly depression and anxiety 9 ,. 12 Comorbidities, which are frequently present in brain tumor patients, 13 may also affect resilience and mental health 14 ,.…”

“…As most existing research exploring resilience in brain tumor patients is reported from the Western world, there is a lack of studies from the context of LMICs such as Pakistan 9 . Unique social, economic, and cultural factors in Pakistan make for an opportunity to investigate psychosocial characteristics associated with resilience amongst brain tumor patients.…”

Positive effects of resilience and self‐efficacy on World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument score among caregivers of stroke inpatients in China

“…Resilience is associated with lower levels of suffering, better ability to adjust, and better QOL among caregivers of patients with stroke, and it could help individuals respond to care‐related psychological challenges 18 . Several researchers have reported that resilience affects many aspects assessed by the WHOQOL, and more resilient caregivers of patients with stroke have significantly better WHOQOL scores 19, 20 …”

Resilience and its Associated Factors in Head and Neck Cancer Patients in Pakistan: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

“…(17) According to recent data, the prevalence of head and neck cancer is escalating in Pakistan, and limited information is available regarding resilience of head and neck cancer in our setting, a low middle-income country (LMIC) having diverse cultural, social and economic factors. (18) This study will bridge this gap and its findings would be beneficial in formulating targeted interventions as per need to improve resilience. This study aims to assess resilience and its associated factors in head and neck cancer patients, posttreatment (≥ 4 wks).…”