QUALITY OF LIFE AND WORK LIMITATION AMONG SURVIVORS OF BREAST CANCER AT ZAGAZIG UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS, EGYPT

RAM, Hammam; DA, El-Shafei; NM, Abdelsalam; SA, Balata

doi:10.21608/ejom.2018.6804

QUALITY OF LIFE AND WORK LIMITATION AMONG SURVIVORS OF BREAST CANCER AT ZAGAZIG UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University.

² Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University.

³ Department of Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine,Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University.

10.21608/ejom.2018.6804

Abstract

Introduction: The number of breast cancer survivors is increasing worldwide in the labor market. The average age of Egyptian women who have breast cancer is significantly younger than the average age of American and European women. Survivors of breast cancer encounter stressful experience that affect their quality of life (QOL) and work productivity. Aim of work: To assess the quality of life (QOL) and work limitations among survivors of breast cancer and to determine the medical and socio-demographic predictors of both QOL and work limitations among the studied sample. Materials and Methods: A total of 134 survivors of breast cancer attending the Oncology and Nuclear Medicine outpatient clinics in Zagazig University Hospital were studied through the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ –BR23 (the Arabic versions) and a questionnaire based upon the English version of the Work Limitations Questionnaire. Results: The studied participants mean age was 48.32±8.68, and 68.66% of them work for more than forty hours per week. The studied females reported low mean scores of EROTC QLQ –C30 and BR-23 scales. The EROTC global QOL scores were significantly affected by: treatment type, years since cancer diagnosis, disease stage II and III, and working hours per week. The percentage of work productivity loss was 8.3% and it was significantly affected by: treatment type, years since cancer diagnosis, years since completing primary cancer treatment, and disease stage II and III. Conclusion: Working women with breast cancer in Egypt experience low scores of quality of life and need more attention and support programs to cope with their health status, treatment type, and work requirements.

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