Cancer in nursing homes: characteristics and health-related quality of life among cognitively intact residents with and without cancer.

BACKGROUND

Studies are lacking on how cancer influences physical, mental, and social functioning beyond comorbidity among older people without cognitive impairment in nursing homes (NHs).

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to study the sociodemographic characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among NH residents with and without a cancer diagnosis, adjusting for comorbidity.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional observation study: 30 NHs; 227 residents 65 to 102 years old: 60 with cancer and 167 without, at least 6 months' residence. All had Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5 or less and could converse. Health-related quality of life was measured using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey in face-to-face interviews. Sociodemographic variables and medical diagnoses were obtained from records. Possible differences in HRQOL, controlled for age, gender, marital status, education, length of stay, and comorbidity, were examined by multiple linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

The most common cancer diagnoses were breast cancer among women (20%) and prostate cancer among men (12%). More residents with cancer were married (P = .007), reported more bodily pain (P = .17) and scored lower on all other HRQOL subscales, except for role-emotional. General health was worse than that of the residents without cancer (P = .04) after adjusting for sociodemographic variables but not for comorbidity (P = .06).

CONCLUSION

Cognitively intact NH residents with cancer reported more pain and worse general health but better role limitation related to emotional problems compared with residents without cancer. The difference in general health was partly due to comorbidity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Nurses should pay attention to HRQOL among NH residents with cancer and especially observe and ensure pain treatment.