Personality and choice of coping predict quality of life in head and neck cancer patients during follow-up

Introduction. The aim of the present study was to investigate to what extent personality and choice of coping predicted self-reported quality of life (QoL) in successfully treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Materials and methods. We determined QoL by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ) C30/HN35, personality by the Eysenck Personality Inventory and coping by the COPE questionnaire. All patients younger than 80 years who had been diagnosed with HNSCC in Western Norway in the period from 1992 to1997, and who had survived until 1999, were sampled. Ninety-six patients (90% response rate) were included 482 months after diagnosis. Fifty-five of 58 eligible patients were interviewed a second time 471 months after the first interview where neuroticism and QoL questionnaires were answered. Results. Numerical T stage was inversely associated with the second QoL scores (CV: 10-24%). High neuroticism generally predicted low secondary QoL scores both directly (common variance: 17-25%) and adjusted by the QoL values measured simultaneously as the neuroticism (CV: 11-25%). Avoidance focused, problem focused, drinking to cope and coping by humor all predicted QoL scores (CV: 8.5-15%). The present association pattern could still be shown when adjusted for gender, age and educational level when studied by multiple regression analyses. Conclusion. In conclusion, a high T stage, high neuroticism, coping by humor and coping by problem solving directly predicted low QoL whereas neuroticism was also associated with QoL through avoidance coping.