What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the relationship between unmet needs and health-related quality of life among cancer survivors and compare two HRQoL instruments.

May 11, 2026BMC Cancer0 citationsOpen Access

Impact of unmet needs on health-related quality of life among cancer survivors in Ulsan, Korea

DLDong Yeop Lee CSCheolkyung Sin MOMinsu Ock

Key Points

To assess the relationship between unmet needs and health-related quality of life among cancer survivors and compare two HRQoL instruments.
Cross-sectional survey conducted in Ulsan, Korea during 2021-2022.
Utilized EQ-5D-5L and EORTC QLQ-C30 to measure health-related quality of life.
Analyses included multivariable linear regression and other statistical tests (t-tests, ANOVA).
372 cancer survivors analyzed; EQ-5D-5L scores negatively associated with age ≥ 60 years (B=-0.04, 95%CI[-0.07, -0.01]) and advanced cancer stage (Stage IV: B=-0.11, 95%CI[-0.14, -0.07]).
Advanced cancer stage adversely affected EORTC QLQ-C30 functional scale (Stage IV: B=-14.87, 95%CI[-18.65, -11.10]) and positively affected the symptom scale (Stage IV: B = 9.01, 95%CI[6.44, 11.57]).
Unmet psychological needs consistently linked to poorer HRQoL across both instruments, with financial needs showing directionally consistent but weaker associations.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivorship care emphasizes biomedical interventions, but psychological and social difficulties remain underaddressed. This study aimed to (i) quantify the association between unmet needs and quality of life (QOL), and (ii) evaluate whether these associations are consistent across two health-related QOL (HRQoL) instruments among cancer survivors. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of adults (≥ 19) in Ulsan, Korea (2021, 2022). HRQoL (EQ-5D-5 L; EORTC QLQ-C30) was related to unmet-need domains using multivariable linear regression adjusted for prespecified sociodemographic and clinical covariates (gender, age, cancer type/stage, education level, household size, household monthly income, smoking status, alcohol consumption). Statistical analyses included Student's t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: After excluding cases with insufficient information, 372 survivors were analyzed. EQ-5D-5 L utility was negatively associated with age ≥ 60 years (B=-0.04, 95%CI-0.07, -0.01), advanced cancer stage (Stage IV: B=-0.11, 95%CI-0.14, -0.07), unmet psychological needs (B=-0.09, 95%CI-0.13, -0.06), and unmet financial needs (B=-0.04, 95%CI-0.09, -0.001). On the EORTC QLQ-C30, advanced cancer stage showed negative associations with the functional scale (Stage IV: B=-14.87, 95%CI-18.65, -11.10) and positive associations with the symptom scale (Stage IV: B = 9.01, 95%CI6.44, 11.57). Higher household income (B = 4.99, 95%CI1.71, 8.26) was positively associated with the functional scale, while unmet psychological needs were negatively associated with the functional scale (B=-5.96, 95%CI-10.04, -1.89) and positively associated with the symptom scale (B = 8.80, 95%CI6.04, 11.57). CONCLUSIONS: Unmet psychological needs showed the most consistent associations with poorer HRQoL across both generic and cancer-specific instruments. Unmet financial needs showed weaker but directionally consistent associations, and the concurrent use of both instruments provided complementary perspectives on survivorship-related quality of life.

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