Quality of life among Saudi cancer survivors: The role of social and demographic factors

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Cancer survivorship is a growing concern globally, yet few studies have explored the quality of life (QoL) outcomes among survivors in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

AIM

To assess QoL using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and to evaluate the impact of demographic and clinical factors among Saudi cancer survivors.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 102 adult cancer survivors recruited from a tertiary hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the WHOQOL-BREF, which assesses four QoL domains, including physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. Univariate and multivariable robust linear regression models (Huber estimator) were used to identify QoL score predictors, adjusted for key sociodemographic and clinical variables.

RESULTS

The mean participant age was 44.5 years; 72.5% of the participants were female. The mean domain scores were as follows: physical health was 3.05 ± 0.53, psychological health was 3.56 ± 0.79, social relationships was 3.39 ± 0.84, and environment was 3.29 ± 0.74. Socioeconomic and social vulnerability factors, including low income, rental housing, widowed/divorced marital status, and lower education, were independently associated with poorer QoL scores. Residents in rural settings had significantly lower scores in all domains.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal noticeable disparities in QoL among Saudi cancer survivors driven by socioeconomic and demographic factors. These insights underscore the need for context-sensitive survivorship programs in Saudi Arabia, with special attention to social support, mental health, and economic stability.

Keywords: Cancer survivors; Quality of life; Saudi Arabia; Sociodemographic determinants; Survivorship care

Core Tip: This study highlights significant disparities in quality of life (QoL) among cancer survivors in Saudi Arabia using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF instrument. It identifies key socioeconomic and demographic predictors—such as rural residence, low income, and limited education—that negatively influence domain-specific QoL. These findings underscore the urgent need for culturally and contextually tailored survivorship programs that address social vulnerability, mental health, and environmental support in Middle Eastern settings.