Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Determinants Among Cancer Patients: Insights from the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background

Cancer incidence is increasing in Saudi Arabia and the Qassim region. While survival has improved, quality of life (QoL) remains a vital outcome. However, limited research in Qassim has examined determinants of QoL. This study assessed factors associated with QoL among cancer patients, focusing on sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Oncology Centre in Qassim (January-June 2024). QoL was measured using the Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, and psychological distress was assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v30. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare group differences, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with global QoL.

Results

Among 187 patients, the median age was 48 years (range, 18-94), and 73.8% were female. Breast cancer (52.2%) and colorectal cancer (16.1%) were the most common diagnoses. The mean global quality-of-life score was 73.8 (SD = 22.2). Anxiety and depression prevalence rates were 12.8% and 29.9%, respectively. Moreover, psychiatric history and psychological distress were significantly associated with poorer QoL in unadjusted analyses. Only higher depression scores were independently associated with lower odds of good QoL (AOR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.77-0.95], p = 0.004). Physical and emotional functioning were significantly higher among patients with good global QoL (both p < 0.001). In contrast, fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, and insomnia were significantly more common among those with poor QoL (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.005, and p < 0.001, respectively). Based on Therapeutic Change Index thresholds, clinically meaningful impairment was identified in 31.6-47.6% of functional scales and 15.5-45.0% of symptom scales.

Conclusions

Depressive symptom severity, functional limitations, and symptom burden were associated with poorer QoL among cancer patients. Integrating psychological and supportive care is essential to enhance well-being in Qassim.