A New Measurement Scale for Evaluating Health-Related Quality of Life in Men with Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to identify and study most properties of the specific and general health-related
quality-of-life (HRQoL) in prostate cancer patients, as well as creating a new measurement scale for assessing QoL
among prostate cancer patients.
Methodology: A cross sectional (descriptive) study was conducted to evaluate General Quality of life in patients
with prostate cancer. A sample of 100 prostate cancer patients from Al-Amal National hospital for cancer
management and Oncology Center in Baghdad Medical City. This study applied format of General World Health
Organization Quality of Life-BERF questionnaire. The methods used descriptive statistics to evaluate the General
QoL-Improvements, as well as inferential statistical methods were used such that (Wilcoxon Signed Rank,
McNemar).
Results: Patients with prostate cancer have different assessment concerning general QoL, and have instability of
their daily life cycle, within a moderate level. Regarding Specific QoL, overall result showed moderate assessment
of quality of life,nbut some domains showed worse assessment than others specially (sexual confidence, sexual
intimacy and prostate specific antigen (PSA) concern domains). Other domains accounted moderate responses and
those were (urinary control, masculine and self-esteem, heath worry, cancer control, informed decision and outlook),
while (marital affection, sexual intimacy and regret) accounted high responding, therefore, prostate cancer patients
have instability of their daily life cycle, within a moderate level. A new measurement scale was created using factor
analysis technique on WHO HRQoL BREF and specific HRQoL of prostate cancer patients