Measuring the meaning of life for patients with incurable cancer: the life evaluation questionnaire (LEQ).

Full Abstract

Clinical observation, systematic research and popular anecdote indicate that, when confronted by death, people change the criteria by which they evaluate their lives. Questionnaires used routinely to assess quality of life in people with poor-prognosis cancer tend to be symptom-based and do not assess factors which become important when confronted by fatal illness, such as the meaning of life and the degree to which life has been enriched by the illness. To develop a questionnaire which would be sensitive to these areas, patients with incurable cancer and carers of such patients were interviewed in depth. Responses were reviewed by a panel of patients, clinicians and carers and formed into an inventory which was completed by 200 similar patients. Principal components analysis identified five dimensions: clearer perception of the meaning of life; freedom versus restriction of life; resentment of the illness; contentment with past and present life; past and present social integration. Only the most symptom-oriented scales (freedom, resentment) correlated with the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist. Scale scores showed that younger patients were more resentful of their illness, but also gained a clearer perception of the meaning of life. This questionnaire can evaluate psychological needs of people with incurable cancer which are neglected by existing instruments.

Author information

Author/s: Salmon, P (P); Manzi, F (F); Valori, R M (RM);

Affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, U.K.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) (Eur J Cancer), published in ENGLAND. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1996-May; vol 32A (issue 5) : pp 755-60

Dates: Created 1997/04/01; Completed 1997/04/01; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 9081350, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.