Quality of Life (QOL) of Women with Radiation Therapy

Seema Satwe, Jyoti Salunkhe, Vandana Satave

Abstract: Aim and objectives-to assess the quality of life among women with gynecological cancer before and after receiving radiation therapy, find out an association between quality of life of women after radiation therapy and selected socio demographic variables. Material and Methods: Longitudinal panel design with a descriptive approach was adoptedwith inclusion of 35 women by non probability sampling technique with the use of a standardized questionnaire by (EORTC-QLQ C30 and QLQ CX24) on QOLwhich comprises functional, symptom and global health status of women receiving radiation therapy at Radiation Oncology Unit. Result: majority 16 (45.71 %) women belonged to the age group 50-60 years, 28 (80 %) had parity upto 1-4 time, 51.42 % were ever married, 19 (54.28 %) were uneducated, 34 (91.14 %) were housewives while 12 (34.28 %) belonged to income group Rs.4000-5000/- per month. After radiation therapy on functional scale QLQ C30 5.86 % women were declined level of QOL from excellent to good with significant decrease in mean score from 92.37 to 87.17 and on global health status scale 77.14 % women shown decline from good to average level. There is symptomatic increase in 2.86 % women on QLQ C30 with increase in mean score from 12.005 to 20.00 (p=0.001) whereas on QLQ CX24 symptoms were increased in 11.29 % with increase in mean score from 10.59 to 12.22 but not statistically significant (0.2156). A significant association was found between age, education and quality of life of women after radiation therapy.

Keywords: gynecological cancer, Radiation Oncology Unit, Radiation Therapy, Quality of life