Health-related quality of life among patients undergoing jaw resection at a referral hospital in Western Kenya

Abstract

In many developing countries, successful care for patients with jaw tumours often focuses on morbidity and survival rates. Limited attention is accorded to the impact of the disease and its treatment on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study evaluated HRQoL among patients before and in the short term following jaw resection as treatment for oral tumours using the University of Washington quality of life (UW-QoL) questionnaire. Forty participants were consecutively recruited over a period of two years; 70% of whom were female, 75% had mandibular lesions and half of them had ameloblastoma. Their mean age was 34.4 years. Participants returned high scores on most of the 12 disease-specific domains, suggesting a low level of dysfunction. Shoulder dysfunction, taste and speech returned the best scores, whereas chewing, appearance, and saliva returned the lowest scores. Saliva had reduced scores after surgery, with an increase in proportion of participants who reported it as an important issue. Mean scores for physical functions were lower than were for socio-emotional functions. Surgical care had a positive impact on socio-emotional functions such as activity, mood and recreation, but with a negative impact on physical functions such as chewing, swallowing, and saliva. Male patients as well as patients with benign and mandibular tumours returned higher scores when compared with female patients as well as patients with malignant and maxillary tumours, respectively. This study revealed important changes in the HRQoL of patients with jaw tumours in Kenya, which ought to be considered during their care.