The health‐related quality of life of patients with prostate cancer and their spouses before treatment compared with the general population

AIMS: To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with prostate cancer and their spouses in comparison with the Finnish general population, using the RAND 36-Item Health Survey. An additional purpose was to describe the associations between the background variables of the participants and their HRQOL. BACKGROUND: The HRQOL of patients with prostate cancer and especially their spouses at the time of diagnosis is not well known. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: Responses were received from 232 patients and 229 spouses at 5 central hospitals in Finland between October 2013 and January 2016. RESULTS: Compared to the Finnish general population mean, the HRQOL of the patients and their spouses was, on average, better for all dimensions. Patients' age, the presence of disease, and the treatment method were associated with the dimensions of HRQOL. The dimensions of HRQOL were also associated with spouses' age, basic and vocational education, and the presence of disease. CONCLUSION: The patients and their spouses experienced their HRQOL as very similar; however, on average, it is better than the general population mean. However, the evidence suggests that support from the nurses should focus on emotional well-being, the dimension that received the lowest scores in both groups.