Cooperating countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Austria

Coordinating institution: Medical University of Innsbruck

Project coordinator: Asst.-Prof. Dr. Johannes M. Giesinger

Partner institution: Ecole Sante Public - UNILU

Project duration: 01.09.2024 - 31.08.2026

Background
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a cornerstone of treatment evaluation in cancer patients and is widely assessed in clinical research and practice. Important clinical benefits have been associated with its assessment and it is considered key to an in-depth understanding of the patient perspective on the treatment and disease. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, HRQOL has rarely been investigated. The aim of this cross-cultural project is the comparative evaluation of HRQOL in Congolese and European cancer patients.

Methods
Following a previously established mixed-methods approach, we will conduct semi structured interviews with approximately 30 Congolese cancer patients and 10-15 Congolese healthcare professionals. Qualitative data will be categorized according to the grounded-theory approach. Additionally, we will assess 100 Congolese cancer patients with the EORTC QLQ-C30, the most widely used HRQOL questionnaire. The collected data will be merged with a previously collected European dataset including 625 cancer patients.

Implications
The results of the semi structured interviews are used to develop a better understanding of what makes individual aspects of HRQOL clinically important. Merging these data with results from European cancer patients allows the identification of cross-cultural differences in HRQOL and in the meaning of clinical importance. The quantitative HRQOL data will be analyzed to not only investigate differences in symptoms and functional health levels, but also to identify potential differences in the determinants of HRQOL of European and Congolese cancer patients. The project will raise awareness for HRQOL issues in cancer patients and will help to move HRQOL research beyond developed countries.