• M Whedon, D Stearns, and L E Mills.
• Dartmouth-Hithcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 1995 Nov 1; 22 (10): 1527-35; discussion 1535-7.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo extend the knowledge of quality of life (QOL) of survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) to include survivors of autologous BMT. To determine the appropriateness of using a reliable, valid, allogeneic BMT QOL instrument for survivors of autologous BMT.DesignCross-sectional, descriptive, replication survey.SettingAn autologous BMT program in a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center.SampleAll survivors of autologous BMT (N = 37) at the center were recruited; 29 survivors participated (85% response rate).MethodsThree mailed questionnaires: the City of Hope quantitative QOL-BMT instrument and qualitative questionnaire and an investigator-developed demographic questionnaire.Main Research VariablesQOL, autologous BMT treatment, disease type, age, gender, employment, and date of transplant.FindingsGlobal QOL was high (mean = 8.17 on a 1-10 scale). Most respondents experienced few long-term physical disruptions and had only mild psychological distress. Fatigue, sexuality concerns, and family distress created by the illness were the most negatively rated items. Content, face, and construct validity of the QOL-BMT instrument in the autologous BMT population were acceptable. Overall internal consistency reliability of the tool, as measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.82. Themes of uncertainty, concern about relapse, and pain were reported in the qualitative data but not revealed by responses to the QOL-BMT instrument.ConclusionsThe majority of survivors of autologous BMT reported few physiologic disruptions and above-average QOL. The City of Hope QOL-BMT instrument had acceptable reliability and validity when adapted for survivors of autologous BMT. Addition of items related to uncertainty, pain, and concern about relapse could further strengthen its validity.Implications For Nursing PracticeMost survivors of autologous BMT can expect above-average QOL. Incorporating results of QOL evaluation in the informed consent process may help BMT candidates in making the decision to undergo the procedure by providing a more complete picture of life after BMT. However, since a minority of patients will experience continued disruptions in any one of the QOL domains, healthcare providers need to conduct comprehensive follow-up evaluations to determine which patients may need referral to the specialized services of a survivor clinic.

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