caa a22 4500 606179798 CHVBK 20210128100802.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150401xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11136-014-0828-z doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11136-014-0828-z The relationship between economic characteristics and health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed cancer patients in Southeast Asia: results from an observational study [Elektronische Daten] [Merel Kimman, Stephen Jan, Helen Monaghan, Mark Woodward] Purpose: We investigate whether cancer patients' economic characteristics are independent determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in low- and middle-income settings to identify priorities for health policy and research. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 9,513 cancer patients from Southeast Asia provided data on demographics, economic status and HRQoL. HRQoL was measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D. Information on cancer site and stage was collected using the patients' medical records. Multiple linear regression analysis estimated the relative impact of economic characteristics (i.e. health insurance, employment status, household income and economic hardship) on HRQoL. Results: All economic characteristics were significant independent determinants of HRQoL, when we controlled for demographic and clinical characteristics. Economic hardship was found to be most important. The adjusted mean differences in HRQoL scores between patients who had experienced economic hardship in the year before diagnosis compared to patients who did not were −5.6, −6.7, −7.3 and −0.06, respectively, for global health, physical function, emotional function and the EQ-5D index (all p values <0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that this significant result for economic hardship as a predictor of poor HRQoL was consistent across all age groups, for males and females, and across all levels of education. Conclusions: Living in poor economic circumstances before a cancer diagnosis is associated with greatly impaired HRQoL after diagnosis. There is wide scope for research on innovative interventions that provide low-cost and targeted support aimed to improve health outcomes of disadvantaged cancer patients in low- and middle-income settings. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2014 Patient-reported outcomes nationallicence Health-related quality of life nationallicence Cancer nationallicence Low- and middle-income settings nationallicence Economic status nationallicence Southeast Asia nationallicence HRQoL : Health-related quality of life nationallicence ASEAN : Association of Southeast Asian Nations nationallicence EQ-5D : EuroQoL 5 dimensions nationallicence Kimman Merel The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Jan Stephen The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Monaghan Helen The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Woodward Mark The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Quality of Life Research Springer International Publishing 24/4(2015-04-01), 937-949 0962-9343 24:4<937 2015 24 11136 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0828-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0828-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Kimman Merel The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Jan Stephen The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Monaghan Helen The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Woodward Mark The George Institute for Global Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Quality of Life Research Springer International Publishing 24/4(2015-04-01), 937-949 0962-9343 24:4<937 2015 24 11136