Emotional distress and dysfunctional illness perception are associated with low mental and physical quality of life in Chinese breast cancer patients

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and physical as well as psychological variables in Chinese breast cancer patients. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study enrolled 254 Chinese breast cancer patients in different stages and treatment phases. They answered standard instruments assessing QOL (EORTC), somatic symptom severity (PHQ-15), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), health-related anxiety (WI-7), illness perception (BIPQ), and sense of coherence (SOC-9). Canonical correlation was applied to identify the strongest correlates between the physical, emotional and social QOL scales and the physical and psychological variables. Results: In our sample, a low global QOL was significantly associated with the following physical and psychological variables: symptom-related disability (Karnofsky Index) (r=.211, p