Background: Quality of Life (QoL) is a significant area in assessing cancer patient’s care. Since 2010, the Hong Kong Cancer Fund(HKCF) started to evaluate the quality of life of cancer patients and their care givers in Hong Kong. There are 3 Community Cancer Support Centers organized by HKCF, one of them is located in the heart of commercial activities of Hong Kong. In this study, we would like to learn about the quality of life of users registered in the commercial center of Hong Kong so as to provide tailor-made services in meeting their psychosocial needs.
Method: Each user of the Community Cancer Support Service Centre is required to fill in a self-completed Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QoL30). Social Workers will immediately follow up with those who indicated more intense problems in specific areas. Data would be stored and a post-test was carried out after half year of each user’s registration. From 2010 Oct to 2011 Sept, this study collected 246 users’ Quality of Life Questionnaires and demographic data. The response rate is 30% out of 800 total registered user of the center for the period of time.
Result: Among 246 questionnaires, 229 were valid for analysis. 34% of the patients are aged between 41 to 50. 34% are between 51 to 60. The average age is 51. Most of the patients are working class. 50% of the new users are breast cancer patients, 11% are lung cancer and 8% are gynecology cancer patients. The majority of them came to our support center while they are under treatment (47%). 21% of them are advance cancer patients. 30% of them learn about the center service from their family/ friends. 25% are referred by public hospital. The score of service users’ pre and post test result indicated significance difference (statistically) between pre and post QoL for Q13, 20, 21 and 28.
Implication: There is significance difference (statistically) between pre and post QoL (domain score) for emotional functioning, social functioning. The higher the score implies the better the functioning. Also, fatigue, pain, appetite lost and global health status are significance different between pre and post QoL. The lower the score implies the least the symptom patient suffer.