Relationship between Quality of Life and Social Support in Women Treated for Cervical Cancer

  Background and Objectives: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in developing countries. This disease and its treatment influence various aspects of quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the quality of life and social support among cervical cancer survivors.   Material and Methods: In this study 65 women treated for cervical cancer during 2001-2008 were recruited. Data were gathered using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Cervix 24, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – core 30, Version 3, and the social support questionnaire. The instruments’ validity was assessed using content validity and the reliability was assessed via test-retest and Cronbach's alpha.   Results: Results of our study showed that the quality of life scores for patients treated for cervical cancer was moderate (60/7 ± 98/46). The score of social support was moderate, too (91/20 ± 11/34). There were no relationships between the physical, psychological and social dimensions of quality of life with the social support. There were also no relationships between the mental and spiritual well-being with the quality of life (P> 0.05).   Conclusion: The findings showed that the quality of life and social support scores were moderate among the participants of our study.