Cognitive Dysfunction and Its Relationship to Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors

Purpose/Objectives: To examine relationships between capacity to direct attention and the quality-of-life (QOL) domains of psychological and physical well-being in breast cancer survivors. Design: Descriptive, correlational. Setting: National Cancer Institute-designated oncology and county hospital outpatient clinics in the midwestern region of the United States. Sample: 134 breast cancer survivors aged 32-79 years ((X) over bar = 56.3, SD = 9.4) with a mean of 6.4 years since diagnosis (SD = 2.8, range = 1 -10). Methods: Secondary analysis of questionnaire data measuring cognitive dysfunction and two QOL domains. Descriptive statistics, Pearson or Spearman correlations, and multiple regression analysis were used. Main Research Variables: Capacity to direct attention, as well as psychological and physical well-being. Findings: Deficits in capacity to direct attention were related to poorer QOL, including more depressive symptoms, lower well-being, poorer physical functioning, and greater fatigue. Conclusions: Capacity to direct attention was related to psychological and physical well-being in breast cancer survivors. Implications for Nursing: Nurses are in a prime position to assess breast cancer survivors' capacity to direct attention and resulting relationships with QOL. Findings suggest that nursing interventions that address survivors' capacity to direct attention may have a broad impact on QOL.