Associations of Demographic and Social Factors on Health-Related Quality-of-Life Changes Among Older Women With Breast or Gynecologic Cancer

Objectives: To examine associations of sociodemographic factors and social limitations with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) from pre- to postdiagnosis in older female cancer survivors.

Sample & Setting: 9,807 women aged 65 years or older with breast or gynecologic cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.

Methods & Variables: Physical and mental HRQOL were assessed using the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey. Descriptive statistics and mixed-effects models for repeated measures were used.

Results: Social limitations were the only significant factor associated with changes in MCS scores. Race and ethnicity, rurality, and social interference were associated with significant decreases in PCS scores.

Implications for Nursing: Nurses can assess mental and physical HRQOL after diagnosis and advocate for appropriate referrals. Oncology care should be tailored to cultural considerations, including race and ethnicity, rurality, and social support.