Who should measure quality of life, the doctor or the patient?
Author Information
Author(s): M.L. Slevin, H. Plant, D. Lynch, J. Drinkwater, W.M. Gregory
Primary Institution: St Bartholomew's and Homerton Hospitals; University College, London, UK
Hypothesis
Can doctors accurately assess a patient's quality of life, anxiety, and depression compared to the patients' own assessments?
Conclusion
Doctors cannot accurately determine what patients feel regarding their quality of life, anxiety, and depression.
Supporting Evidence
- Correlations between doctors' and patients' scores rarely explained more than 30% of the variability.
- Doctors' evaluations showed greater consistency among themselves than in comparison to patients' evaluations.
- Quality of life is a subjective concept that doctors may not fully understand.
Takeaway
Doctors and patients filled out the same forms about how the patients felt, but the doctors' answers didn't match the patients' feelings very well.
Methodology
Patients and doctors completed various quality of life scales simultaneously, and correlations between their scores were analyzed.
Potential Biases
Variability in scores among different doctors and health professionals raises concerns about the reliability of assessments.
Limitations
The study included a variety of cancer types and stages, which may affect the reliability of the instruments used.
Participant Demographics
A mixture of males and females from a wide age range and social background, many with advanced malignant disease.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
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