Taye, Girma (PhD)Mohammed, Anissa2018-10-302023-11-052018-10-302023-11-052018-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/13450Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Ethiopia with increasing burden, yet little research has been conducted on quality of life of breast cancer patients under chemotherapy treatment. Objective: To assess the quality of life of breast cancer patients‟ under chemotherapy treatment at Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2018. Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 403 breast cancer patients who took at least one cycle of chemotherapy treatment at oncology unit of Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital day care center from February to April 2018. The validated Amharic version of European organization for research and treatment of cancer core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and quality of life questionnaire specific to breast (QLQ-BR23) was used to measure quality of life. Simple descriptive statistics has been calculated. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was compared to see if there was a significant mean difference in quality of life between categories of socio-demographic and clinical variables. For purpose of interpretation quality of life score was dichotomized in to 2 using 50 as a cutoff point then, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to describe association between dependent and independent variables. Hence patients who score above 50 for quality of life were considered to have better quality of life. Result: Of the total sample, overall response rate was 99.77%. Mean age of participants was 44±11.78. Mean quality of life of breast cancer patients was 52.98 (25.61). The most affected functional scale was emotional functioning (mean 47.61± 25.83). Similarly, 79.2 % of participants had financial difficulties. Likewise, sexual functioning was the most affected functional scale in the disease specific tool with 86.8% of participants had affected sexual functioning. Similarly, patients score worse in breast symptoms where 90.1% had affected breast symptoms. Educational status, marital status, income, number of chemotherapy cycle, physical functioning, social functioning, fatigue, insomnia, financial difficulties and systemic therapy side effects had significant association with QOL. Conclusion and recommendation: Quality of life of breast cancer patients under chemotherapy treatment was poor. Therefore quality of life assessment should be incorporated in patient‟s treatment protocol. And health advocates should demand financial support for the patients.en-USBreast cancer,chemotherapy treatment,Tikur AnbessaThesis