Relationship between Symptom Burden and HRQOL among Kuwaiti Women Recently Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a life-threatening chronic condition associated with distress and psychological symptoms. Breast cancer also leads to ongoing ambiguity around the symptom burden of the disease and its treatment over the long-term, which impacts health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The factors influenced HRQOL of Kuwaiti women with breast cancer is unclear and not well understood. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the relationships between the symptom burden and HRQOL of Kuwaiti women diagnosis with breast cancer within their first year. METHODS: This cross-sectional correlational study surveyed 100 Kuwaiti women diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous year at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center Hospital (KCCC). The study collected data using a combination of five questionnaires: The Memorial Symptom Assessment-Short Form Scale (MSAS-SF), the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and demographic/clinical questionnaire. RESULTS: The 100 Kuwaiti women in the study experienced moderate symptom burden (M = 2.35, SD = 0.28), which is significantly negatively associated with HRQOL. The most prevalent symptoms the women reported were pain, difficulty sleeping, lack of energy, and hair loss. Symptom burden was significantly negatively associated with HRQOL. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest the need for more training for clinicians to diagnose and treat common symptoms. Improved screening tools and psychosocial interventions also need to be developed. Future research should focus on longitudinal data and qualitative methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Kuwaiti women’s experiences with breast cancer.