Quality of life one year following bone marrow transplantation: psychometric evaluation of the quality of life in bone marrow transplant survivors tool.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine a comprehensive view of quality of life (QOL) post-bone marrow transplant (post-BMT) and to evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to measure QOL in this population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive, mailed survey. SETTING: A large, major BMT referral center for central, eastern, and southern Kentucky. SAMPLE: 41 BMT survivors with an age range of 18-71 years who were an average of 30 months post-BMT. METHODS: Seven mailed questionnaires, including an investigator-developed demographic questionnaire and the Quality of Life in Bone Marrow Transplant Survivors Tool (QOL-BMT-ST). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: QOL, BMT treatment, sexual activities, employment, and uncertainty. FINDINGS: Global QOL was good (x = 6.4 on a 0-10 scale). Subjects experienced several long-term areas of concern: physical strength, sexual activities, fear of cancer recurrence, fear of developing a secondary cancer, unemployment, family distress, and uncertainty toward the future. Psychometric testing of the QOL-BMT-ST revealed adequate to excellent reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS: Most BMT survivors reported few long-term disruptions and above average QOL. The QOL-BMT-ST has a promising utility in clinical trials. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Individually structured pre- and post-BMT assessment of physical, psychosocial, and spiritual functioning is significant in identifying vulnerable patients and treating them accordingly.