2139P - Quality of life in adult cancer survivors (QLACS) in Spain: Study of its clinical characteristics and use of social media for oncological information

Background

Long-term cancer survivors (LS), patients over 5 years free of disease, are a population on the rise due to oncological advances. Our aim is to explore QLACS in long-term cancer survival patients in Spain. As a secondary objective is to study their clinical and sociodemographic characteristics and their preference for social media or face-to-face meetings to obtain oncological information.

Methods

We carried out a transversal study in a sample of LS patients from several Spanish hospitals. They completed QLACS, FERREL, SPF12 and social media data. Different types of tumor were included. Psychometric properties of the QLACS were evaluated. Principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was applied to explore the dimensional structure. Pearson’s correlation (Pc) was used to study associations of QLACS with temporal variables. Student’s t test was used to study differences between them.

Results

N= 257, women=59,9 %, < 65 years=55%. Types Tumor: 33% breast, 27% colorectal, 8,9% urothelial, 7,4% other digestive tumors, 7% orl-lung. Factor analysis showed a 12-component solution accounts for 71.03 % of the variance, showing a similar comparable dimensional structure with QLACS. Alfa Cronbach=0,9. Appearance concern, distress over recurrence, pain, negative feelings and distress familiar are statistically higher in female (p<0,05). We found negative correlation between age and use of social networks for oncological information (Facebook: p = 0.01, Pc: -248; Twitter: p<0.04, Pc:- 200; Instagram: p <0.007, Pc: -259 except; Youtube: p = 0.17; Pc: -134). No differences by sex were observed in the use of social networks There were no differences by age in attending face-to-face meetings: p< 0.94, Pc: - 196. Breast cancer patients are more willing to attend face-to-face meetings to help other patients than those with colon cancer (p< 0.036).

Conclusions

QLACS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring quality of life in long-term cancer survivors in Spain. Younger patients are more likely to use social media for oncology information. Older people tend to prefer face-to-face meetings. We found differences between men and women in different factors for measuring quality of life.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

M. Cornide.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.