QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF DANISH WOMEN - POPULATION-BASED NORMS FOR THE EORTC QLQ-C30

The aim of this study was to derive population-based norms for women c ompleting the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 1 which is designed for use with p atients who have cancer. The study was conducted using two different q uestionnaires: one designed for use in female patients with breast can cer, the other for those with gynaecological cancers, but both includi ng the EORTC QLQ-C30. The women were drawn from the Danish Central Pop ulation Register without knowledge of their health status and divided at random between the two questionnaires. All procedures for collectin g data were identical. The response rate for those receiving the gynae cological cancer (GS) questionnaire was 49% and it was 71% for the bre ast cancer (BS) questionnaire. Detailed comparison between the two sam ples revealed several EORTC QLQ-C30 items showing a clear difference i n distribution of scores between them. Because of this and the possibl e bias due to the relative low age-related response rate in GS, only t he results from the BS are used for constructing norms. The norms cove r all 30 single items on the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the nine derived scales , for women in four 10-year age groups commencing at 30 years and for those aged 70-75. Clear trends in, for example, declining ability to u ndertake strenuous activity are illustrated and quantified. Levels of certain symptoms, such as pain, are surprisingly high although it is r ecognized that the population sampled will contain a proportion of wom en with active disease including cancer. We recommend the use of these norms both as an aid to the clinical assessment of an individual pati ent, and to assist in the interpretation of clinical trial and longitu dinal quality of life data. As a secondary result, we note that a popu lation-based sample will have a lower response rate to a questionnaire with more questions, especially if many of these extra questions are on sexual issues.