Correlation Between Postoperative Health-Related Quality of Life and Care Needs of Oral Cancer Patients.
Tze-Fang Wang, Yu-Jie Li, Lee-Chen Chen and 2 others
PMID 30433894WHAT IT FOUND
Trouble with social contacts, swallowing problems, teeth problems, and feeling ill were associated with higher care needs in postoperative oral cancer patients.
Health information needs were highest. This is an association, not proof that treating symptoms lowers needs.
Key findings
01Trouble with social contacts, swallowing problems, teeth problems, and feeling ill were associated with higher care needs in postoperative oral cancer patients.
02Health information needs were the highest care needs domain, and interpersonal communication needs were the lowest.
03Female patients and patients receiving 3 or more chemotherapy treatments were associated with higher care needs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional survey at one hospital in northern Taiwan, so it cannot show cause and effect and may not apply to other populations. It measured patients at one point in time, not long-term change. The final sample was 126 after exclusions and incomplete questionnaires. It excluded people with cognitive impairment, dementia, intellectual disability, and other groups, so it does not cover all patients. The quality-of-life tool was for head and neck cancer, not a specific oral cancer symptom scale. Patients had received different combinations of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, so the study cannot separate treatment effects.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating swallowing, teeth, social contact, or feeling ill will reduce care needs. The study measured symptoms and needs at one time and did not test any treatment.