Selected aspects of quality of life of patients treated for neoplasms of oral cavity
Fraczak, P.
Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis 54(3): 69-76
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 1427-440X PMID: 19839515 Document Number: 623625
Neoplasms of oral cavity make up 2.4% of all neoplasms in male and 1.1% in female population of Poland. Treatment of neoplasms in this area is mainly surgical and leads to a smaller or larger disability with a disorder of basic physiological functions such as breathing, swallowing and speech. It leads as well to the creation of psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression. Lack of available data in Polish literature as well as in foreign literature on the subject of psychological state and quality of life of those patients, convinced me to start research in this area. The research was conducted on a group of 131 patients aged 44-82 years. The patients were divided into three groups: group I consisted of patients after surgical procedures in the face area, group II of patients with serious prognosis (leukaemia) and group III of healthy patients. All patients were subject to survey, which consisted of 2 parts. First part contained 7 questions and related to patient's knowledge as to prognosis for further life (this part pertained patients from group I and II). Second part of the questionnaire was a shortened version of a depression scale based on 15 traits and short version based on 4 traits. It was adopted, that this is a good research tool in case of depression, since it is directed exclusively on diagnosis of depression symptoms. Short research technique facilitates the patient to answer questions asked. The results were interpreted according to depression rating scale. The research indicated that amongst patients after surgical procedures; over 50% of women and almost 40% of man showed intensified growth of depression. This percentage was significantly lower in the group of patients with serious prognosis. In the healthy group, all of the women and over 80% of men had no depression. Education statistically had no significant influence on the depression level. It can be ascertained that surgical procedures in the facial area and oral cavity have influence and generate patient's depression. Therefore, the care over those patients should be multispecialistic.