A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF ONCOLOGISTS PERCEPTIONS OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE INFORMATION

Quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients has become the focus of incre asing research in oncology, and a frequently measured endpoint in clin ical trials. Very little attention has been paid to the perspective of physicians on quality of life information, and its role in clinical d ecision-making. This report describes the findings of research focused on exploring the perspectives of physicians about quality of life inf ormation that is available for cancer patients. On the basis of qualit ative data gathered through in-depth interviews with 60 oncologists in the first phase of this project, we have developed a self-administere d questionnaire (MD-QOL survey) designed to assess oncologists' views on QOL. This survey was administered to an international group of gyne cologic oncologists. The objectives of this study were to assess the f ace validity of the initial items in the MD-QOL, to expand the pool of items, and to assess the feasibility of utilizing a self-administered questionnaire to assess physicians' perspectives on QOL information. Twenty-eight oncologists responded to the questionnaire. The majority of respondents felt that QOL can be measured and that it should be mea sured from the patient's own perspective. Half of the physicians felt that currently available QOL information is useful in clinical practic e. Ninety-three percent of respondents felt that the greatest benefit of QOL information is 'being able to treat the whole patient'. Forty o ne percent of respondents felt that length of survival is more importa nt to patients than quality of life. However, only 7% of the responden ts felt that the primary job of physicians is to save lives, and that QOL should not be a predominant concern for physicians. The inclusion of QOL in randomized trials was perceived as encouraging both patient and physician participation. The results of this survey are being used to further explore these critical issues. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & So ns, Ltd.