DOI: 10.5061/dryad.05qfttf4t
title: Breast cancer patients´knowledge: Results of EORTC QLQ30, QLQ-INFO25 and HADS

description: Background: This study aimed to assess breast cancer awareness among
 patients undergoing active treatment for breast cancer at Day Hospital,
 assess their quality of life (QoL), and explore the association between
 minor knowledge of the disease and higher levels of anxiety. Methods: This
 prospective observational study included patients with breast cancer
 undergoing active treatment at the Instituto Português de Oncologia
 Coimbra. The EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-INFO25, and Anxiety and Depression Scale
 (HADS) were completed, and demographic and clinical data were collected
 and processed using SPSS. Results: In total, 188 patients with breast
 cancer were included. A vast majority had a positive perception of their
 QoL, with a higher average value compared to “cognitive functioning”
 (X=77.22±22.53), “social functioning” (76.86±25.41), and “physical
 functioning” (75.67±17.24). Regarding the information received, an overall
 “score” below the “cut-off line” (47.96±14.40) was observed. When
 evaluating “satisfaction” in isolation, the average value for
 “satisfaction with the information received” was 53.55±23.99, and patients
 perceived that the information received was beneficial to them
 (67.38±23.87) and did not wish to have received less information
 (99.47±7.29). With decreased functionality, higher levels of depression
 and anxiety were observed (p&lt;0.0001). Regarding “information
 related to illness and anxiety/depression”, it was noted that as
 satisfaction with information decreased, patients tended to have higher
 levels of anxiety/depression (p&lt;0.013). Conclusions: It is
 necessary to create dedicated spaces for information and clinical
 clarification, with regular assessments of patients’ perceptions. The
 information provided must be reinforced through written or digital
 support, or brochures.
description: Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3), EORTC
 QLQ-INFO25, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), validated
 for Portuguese. All statistical analyses were performed
 using IBM IBM-SPSS 23.0 program (Statistical Package for the Social
 Sciences) for Windows. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for
 data analysis. Absolute and percentage frequencies were determined
 according to the characteristics of the variables under study (measures of
 central tendency or location: mean, mode, and median; measures of
 variability or dispersion: coefficient of variation and standard
 deviation; and measures of asymmetry and flatness). Regarding inferential
 statistics, non-parametric statistics were used because the requirements
 for the use of parametric statistics were not met. Thus, the Kolmogorov-
 Smirnov test was used to study the normality of the distribution of
 variables, ​​and the Levene test was used to study the homogeneity of the
 variances. For non-parametric statistics, Spearman´s correlation was used.
 In the statistical analysis, the following significance values ​​were
 used: p&lt;0.05, statistically significant difference; p ≥ 0.05,
 non-significant statistical difference.