Does the information level of cancer patients correlate with quality of life? A prospective study

Aims and background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of inf ormation level on quality of life in cancer patients previously studied for their information level. Patients and methods: The information level was d etermined by means of a questionnaire that explored the degree of informati on on diagnosis and status of disease, the patient's interpretation of his/ her disease status, and his/her satisfaction with the information received. Quality of life was evaluated, some months after evaluation of the informa tion level, by means of the Functional Living Index for Cancer (FLIC) and t he State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI 1-2), Results: A total of 175 patien ts were studied. Information was adequate in 53.7% of patients. An adequate level of information was present more frequently among patients aged less than or equal to 65 years and in those patients followed at a cancer instit ute. There was no difference in the quality of life of adequately versus in adequately informed patients. Satisfaction with the information received in fluenced quality of life in both age groups. Objective clinical variables ( active disease present and ongoing treatment) negatively affected quality o f life in patients <65 years, whereas the subjective perception of the pres ence of disease was associated with a worse quality of life in older patien ts. Conclusions: In the study, although the level of information did not af fect the quality of life, satisfaction with the information was associated with a better quality of life. The finding stresses the importance of a sen sible disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis.