The Association Between Pain and Quality of Life for Patients With Cancer in an Outpatient Clinic, an Inpatient Oncology Ward, and Inpatient Palliative Care Units

• Published in: American journal of hospice & palliative medicine 2016-09, Vol.33 (8), p.782-790
• Main Authors: Mikan, Fukiko, Wada, Makoto, Yamada, Michiko, Takahashi, Ayaka, Onishi, Hideki, Ishida, Mayumi, Sato, Kazuki, Shimizu, Sachiko, Matoba, Motohiro, Miyashita, Mitsunori
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Ambulatory Care Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Cancer Pain - psychology; Female; Health Status; Hospitals - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Inpatients - psychology; Japan; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Nursing; Outpatients - psychology; Palliative Care - statistics & numerical data; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 1049-9091; 1938-2715
• DOI: 10.1177/1049909116630266

Purpose: This study was designed to clarify the association between pain and quality of life (QOL) of Japanese patients with cancer using a cancer-specific QOL scale (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC] QLQ-C15-PAL) in 3 care settings (outpatient, inpatient, and palliative care units [PCUs]). Methods: We examined the above-mentioned purpose for the total of 404 patients. Results: In outpatients, physical, emotional functioning (EF), and global health status/QOL (QL item) were significantly correlated with average pain, and their correlation coefficients were −0.37 to −0.46 (P < .0001). In inpatients, they were −0.33 (P = .006), −0.26 (P = .030), and −0.31 (P = .012). In the PCU patients, they were −0.12 (P = .316), −0.30 (P = .009), and −0.28 (P = .015). Conclusion: Patients’ pain had an association with physical and emotional QOL, and the association was smaller in the PCU patients than the others.