Influence of Urinary Dysfunction on Quality of Life in Women with Cervical Cancer after Radical Hysterectomy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the quality of life (QOL) and the influence of urinary dysfunction on QOL in women with cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data collected for a previous study of Chun et al. and the same subjects of a group of 157 cervical cancer patients. Novel data from the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CX24 were used in addition to the results of urinary dysfunction from the previous study. Descriptive analysis of EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CX24 results and a multiple regression analysis were conducted to explore the influence of urinary dysfunction on global QOL. RESULTS: Subjects showed low QOL especially for social, physical and role function in the EORTC QLQ-C30 as well as the QLQ-CX24. Intensity of urinary dysfunction (p<.001) as well as daily life distress due to urinary dysfunction (p<.001) were the most significant factors affecting QOL in women with cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that oncology nurses should pay attention to the relatively low QOL of post-hysterectomy patients. They should also consider the influence of urinary dysfunction on QOL when developing nursing intervention programs to increase the QOL for women with cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy.