Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Determinants Among Cancer Patients: Insights from the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Background: Cancer incidence is increasing in Saudi Arabia and the Qassim region. While survival has improved, quality of life (QoL) remains a vital outcome. However, limited research in Qassim has examined determinants of QoL. This study assessed factors associated with QoL among cancer patients, focusing on sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Oncology Centre in Qassim (January–June 2024). QoL was measured using the Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, and psychological distress was assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v30. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare group differences, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with global QoL. Results: Among 187 patients, the median age was 48 years (range, 18–94), and 73.8% were female. Breast cancer (52.2%) and colorectal cancer (16.1%) were the most common diagnoses. The mean global quality-of-life score was 73.8 (SD = 22.2). Anxiety and depression prevalence rates were 12.8% and 29.9%, respectively. Moreover, psychiatric history and psychological distress were significantly associated with poorer QoL in unadjusted analyses. Only higher depression scores were independently associated with lower odds of good QoL (AOR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.77–0.95], p = 0.004). Physical and emotional functioning were significantly higher among patients with good global QoL (both p < 0.001). In contrast, fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, and insomnia were significantly more common among those with poor QoL (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.005, and p < 0.001, respectively). Based on Therapeutic Change Index thresholds, clinically meaningful impairment was identified in 31.6–47.6% of functional scales and 15.5–45.0% of symptom scales. Conclusions: Depressive symptom severity, functional limitations, and symptom burden were associated with poorer QoL among cancer patients. Integrating psychological and supportive care is essential to enhance well-being in Qassim.