Demographic and Disease Characteristics Associated With Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors' Quality of Life: Does Age Matter?

Purpose/Objectives: To examine demographic and disease characteristics by age and the moderating effect of age on quality of life (QOL) among non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors.

Design: A cross-sectional, secondary analysis study of NHL survivors.

Setting: Two North Carolina cancer registries.

Sample: 741 NHL survivors with a mean age of 62 years and a mean time since diagnosis of 10 years.

Methods: Mailed surveys were sent to individuals treated for NHL. All analyses were conducted using SPSS®, version 18.0. Multiple regression was used to analyze relationships among demographic and disease characteristics, age, and QOL.

Main Research Variables: Demographic, disease, and clinical characteristics on QOL.

Findings: In relation to QOL, income and gender were moderated by age; for example, younger survivors who earned less than $30,000 annually had a poorer QOL. Women reported a higher QOL than men.

Conclusions: Age was a moderator for income and an indicator for how income could affect care of younger survivors. Men reported a lower QOL than women and gender-specific resources may be helpful to them.

Implications for Nursing: Nursing research should focus on age-sensitive resources targeted for younger NHL survivors.

Knowledge Translation: Age is an important characteristic that impacts overall health-related QOL. Oncology nurses are instrumental in identifying patients at all ages who could benefit from age-specific resources.