ABSTRACT
Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological distress related to quality of life (QoL) of patients with colorectal cancer receiving 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy at home with disposable Elastomeric infusion pumps. @*Methods@#In this study, 179 colorectal outpatients were recruited between September 2019 and January 2021. National Cancer Center Psychological Symptom Inventory scores, general self-efficacy, and the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores were measured. Data were analyzed using Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis, and hierarchical multiple linear regression with the SPSS/WIN 26.0 programs. @*Results@#The overall prevalence of psychological distress was 52.0% in colorectal patients. In multiple regression, psychological distress (β=-.20, p=.005), appetite loss (β=-.20, p=.001), chemotherapy cycles (β= .19, p=.002), fatigue (β=-.16, p=.035), physical functioning (β=-.16, p=.024), and emotional functioning (β=-.15, p=.025) were significant factors of QoL, and the final model explained 45.0% of the total variance of QoL. @*Conclusion@#Supporting patients toward decreased psychological distress and increased physical and emotional functioning, especially in the first or second cycle of chemotherapy, could be used to improve their QoL. To consider the thresholds for clinical importance, it is necessary to increase the interpretation of psychological distress in clinical practice and further research.