Demographic Variables, Clinical Characteristics, Quality of Life and Costs from Patient Perspective of Hematological Oncology Cases: A Study Conducted in Türkiye

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the associations between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, quality of life (QoL), and patient-borne costs among haematological oncology outpatients in Türkiye.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 137 adult haematological oncology outpatients treated at a public oncology centre between July and August 2024. QoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-3L and EQ VAS. Group differences were analysed using t-tests and ANOVA, while multiple linear regression identified independent predictors of QoL. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine relationships between variables. Disease costs were calculated as total and average annual expenses per patient.
RESULTS
Respondents reported moderate QoL, with anxiety/depression being the most affected dimension. The mean EQ VAS score was 56.28±16.61. Gender and marital status were not associated with QoL (p>0.05). Older age was associated only with poorer self-care (p=0.038). Lower educational attainment, longer disease duration, and advanced cancer stage were associated with poorer QoL across several EQ-5D-3L dimensions (p<0.05). Regression analysis identified education (β=-0.235, p=0.019) and cancer detection time (β=0.229, p=0.009) as independent predictors of QoL. The average annual patient-borne cost was 77,378₺ ($2,353), with income loss representing the largest financial burden.
CONCLUSION
Clinical characteristics, particularly cancer stage, exert a greater influence on QoL than socio-demo-graphic factors. Strategies promoting early diagnosis, patient education, and financial support may improve quality of life and reduce the economic burden of cancer care.

Keywords: Cancer pain; cost of illness; hematological oncology cases, outpatients; quality of life.