The Correlation between Pain, Fatigue, and Quality of Life among Cancer Patients who were Undergoing Chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between pain, fatigue, and quality of life in chemotherapy patients. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2024 at the Oncology Center of Aceh Government Regional Public Hospital. A convenience sampling method was used to select 84 patients undergoing chemotherapy. All participants were invited to complete a general information questionnaire, the Brief Pain Inventory (BFI), the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ C30). All questionnaires were validated and found reliable in their Chinese versions. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation tests. RESULTS: Regarding the most severe pain experienced in the past 24 hours, 19 patients (22.6%) reported mild pain, 23 (27.4%) reported moderate pain, and 42 (50%) reported severe pain. There was a significant correlation between pain and fatigue (p < 0.001) as well as quality of life (p < 0.001). Additionally, fatigue was significantly correlated with quality of life (p < 0.003). CONCLUSION: Patients experiencing moderate to severe pain have more fatigue symptoms and lower quality of life than those with mild pain. Nurses should prioritize these patients, investigate the mechanisms of symptom interactions, and implement combined symptom interventions to improve their quality of life.