| Summary: | 碩士 === 中國醫藥學院 === 醫務管理研究所 === 91 === Oral cancer is one of the major cancer among head and neck cancer. Based on previous studies, both of the incidence rate and mortality rate ranked 7th in 2001 and projected higher in the near future among cancers in Taiwan. Several possible risk factors could cause oral cancer including smoking, drinking, chewing betel nuts---. In Taiwan, researches have proven that chewing betel nuts is a major cause of oral cancer. As result, the prevalence site of oral cancer in Taiwan differs from western countries.
The quality of life has become an important measurement in outcome research. During past two decades, several specific scales have been developed to measure the quality of life for the patient of head and neck cancer such as URTCQLQ H&N35, Fact-HNS, UW-QOL, and HNQOL. However, the specific quality of life scales for head and neck is not appropriate for oral cancer in Taiwan because of different prevalent site and symptoms. In this study, a health-related quality of life scales for oral cancer is developed. Also, the reliability, feasibility, sensitivity, and validity of developed scales will be tested.
The scale developed in this study consists of six domains including food intake, social, oral physiology, nutrition and pain, dental, and sense of organ. Comparing to existing health-related quality of life scales for head and neck cancer, the health-related quality of life scales for oral cancer in this study have better feasibility, sensitivity, and reliability as well as validity,. The Cronbach’s is 0.93. Average response rate and time are 73.5% and 22.16 minutes respectively. Finally, this scale also has good validity with 0.851 of convergent validity and 0.809 of discriminate validity.
Our study not only provides an appropriate and valid tool to measure outcome of treatment for the patients with oral cancer but directs the manager of hospital to improve satisfaction of patients.
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