• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.5-27
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aims to better understand the quality of life (QOL) for Korean breast and gynecological cancer survivors by examining the differences in multi-dimensional QOL outcomes according to stage of cancer survivorship. Methods: To identify the multiple dimensions of health status and psychosocial outcomes, three standardized QOL and psychological distress measures were administered to 110 Korean breast and gynecological cancer survivors. These participants were divided into three groups based on the stage of cancer survivorship. Results: Analyses of covariance revealed that once important confounders were controlled for, QOL outcomes were partially different depending on the stage of cancer survivorship. Results for SF-36 measure showed significant differences between acute and long-term survival stages, indicating that QOL for cancer survivors had gradually improved in the physical domain. However, there were no significant group differences in the psychological domain of SF-36. Additionally, QOL-CS and BSI-18 measures did not show significant QOL differences according to the stage of cancer survivorship. Conclusions: Evidence that, for Korean survivors, QOL outcomes differ according to the stage of cancer survivorship serves as a rationale for developing discriminatory strategies and interventions that take into account survival stage.