HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PERSONS LIVING WITH LIVER CANCER IN GHANA: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL TEACHING HOSPITALS
Author(s)
Ebenezer Owiredu Nkansah, MPhil and a PhD candidate.
Public Health and Health Services Management, Klintaps University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Accra, Ghana.
Public Health and Health Services Management, Klintaps University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Accra, Ghana.
OBJECTIVES: Background/Objective: Liver cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Ghana, with GLOBOCAN 2020 estimating 3,452 new cases and 3,166 deaths annually. Most Ghanaian patients are diagnosed at advanced stages and at a relatively younger age, resulting in poor prognosis and high mortality. Beyond clinical outcomes, liver cancer significantly impairs patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across physical, psychological, and social domains. Yet despite this substantial burden, comprehensive empirical evidence on HRQoL among liver cancer patients in Ghana remains lacking. This study assessed HRQoL outcomes and their determinants among persons living with liver cancer attending oncology units at selected teaching hospitals in Ghana.
METHODS: Methods: A cross-sectional, prevalence-based survey was conducted between April and July 2025 among 121 liver cancer patients at Korle-Bu, Cape Coast, and Tamale Teaching Hospitals. HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale, with utility scores derived from the Ghana-specific EQ-5D-5L value set. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied.
RESULTS: Results: The mean age was 48.8 years (SD=12.2); males predominated (56.2%). Anxiety/depression was the most prevalent impairment (97.5%), followed by pain/discomfort (83.5%), mobility problems (65.3%), usual activity difficulties (61.2%), and self-care limitations (52.1%). The mean EQ-VAS score was 57.3 (SD=18.7). Mean EQ-5D utility scores ranged from 0.48 among the youngest patients to 0.62 among those aged 30-39 years. HRQoL deteriorated significantly with advancing cancer stage (Stage 1 median EQ-5D=0.71; Stage 2=0.47; Stage 3=0.12; H=41.3, p<0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions: Liver cancer imposes a severe and multidimensional HRQoL burden on patients in Ghana, particularly in psychological and pain domains. HRQoL worsens markedly with advancing disease stage, with Stage 3 patients reporting utility scores approaching the threshold of death. Urgent integration of psychosocial support, pain management, and palliative care into oncology services, alongside investment in early detection programmes, is required.
METHODS: Methods: A cross-sectional, prevalence-based survey was conducted between April and July 2025 among 121 liver cancer patients at Korle-Bu, Cape Coast, and Tamale Teaching Hospitals. HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale, with utility scores derived from the Ghana-specific EQ-5D-5L value set. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied.
RESULTS: Results: The mean age was 48.8 years (SD=12.2); males predominated (56.2%). Anxiety/depression was the most prevalent impairment (97.5%), followed by pain/discomfort (83.5%), mobility problems (65.3%), usual activity difficulties (61.2%), and self-care limitations (52.1%). The mean EQ-VAS score was 57.3 (SD=18.7). Mean EQ-5D utility scores ranged from 0.48 among the youngest patients to 0.62 among those aged 30-39 years. HRQoL deteriorated significantly with advancing cancer stage (Stage 1 median EQ-5D=0.71; Stage 2=0.47; Stage 3=0.12; H=41.3, p<0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions: Liver cancer imposes a severe and multidimensional HRQoL burden on patients in Ghana, particularly in psychological and pain domains. HRQoL worsens markedly with advancing disease stage, with Stage 3 patients reporting utility scores approaching the threshold of death. Urgent integration of psychosocial support, pain management, and palliative care into oncology services, alongside investment in early detection programmes, is required.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
PCR24
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Technology Assessment, Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Health State Utilities
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Oncology