Satisfaction with life after radical treatment of cancer

Introduction: Cancer treatment is multidisciplinary in its character and places a heavy burden on the patient. Quality of life is a concept that is closely related to the satisfaction with life. Cancer patients’ satisfaction with life, especially after recovery, is an increasingly examined indicator of treatment quality. Aim of the study: Evaluation of satisfaction with life in patients after radical cancer treatment. Material and methods: The study included 100 people, 81 women and 19 men of all ages, following radical treatment of various cancers. The study was conducted in 2016 at the Centre of Oncology in Bydgoszcz. The study used the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), adapted by Z. Juczyński, as well as a sociodemographic data questionnaire. Results: In general, cancer patients have an average level of satisfaction with life – the average score was 22.37 and 6.19 sten. The greatest satisfaction with life (average points) was reported for professionally active people – 22.67, patients between 41–50 years old – 23.5, patients with secondary education – 23.4, and patients with at least one child – 22.73, though the differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, patients 3–5 years after treatment declared a higher satisfaction with life – 23.05, as did patients without concomitant diseases – 22.77, though again the results were statistically non-significant. Conclusions: In general, patients after radical anti-cancer treatment have an average satisfaction with life, and in half of them satisfaction with life is high, regardless of the duration and type of cancer. Sociodemographic factors have no impact on the satisfaction with life scores.