Factors Influencing Quality of Life among Cancer Patients in South Korea

Background/Objectives: Cancer is No. 1 cause of death among Koreans. The aim of this study is to analyze factors influencing quality of life among cancer patients. Method/Statistical Analysis: The descriptive survey study objects are 96 cancer patients. The questionnaire used for the survey included health promotion behavior measurement tool, Korean version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), helplessness scale, and Korean version of EORTC QLQ-C30. Quality of life was divided into three sub-areas: general health condition/quality of life, functional quality of life, and symptom-related quality of life. Correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis were performed on the data. Findings: The average score in health promotion behavior of respondents was 2.35 of maximum 4. The score in resilience was 90.07 of 125. The score in helplessness was 2.01 of 4. There were some differences in quality of life affected by demographic characteristics of respondents. Functional quality of life was significantly different depending on age and education. General health/quality of life has positive correlations with health promotion behavior, and resilience, but negative correlation with helplessness. Functional quality of life has positive correlations with health promotion behavior, and resilience, and negative correlation with helplessness. Symptom-related quality of life has negative correlations with health promotion behavior and resilience, and positive correlation with helplessness. That is, the higher health promotion behavior and resilience go up, and the more helplessness goes down, level of quality of life goes up. Health promotion behavior and helplessness explained 27.8% of functional quality of life, and 22.5% of symptom-related quality of life. Thus, the two variables affect quality of life for cancer patients. Applications/Improvements: It is necessary to identify factors influencing quality of life among cancer patients to increase the effects of intervention to reduce helplessness and explaining power to improve health promotion behavior.