Factors Associated With Health-related Quality of Life and Social Participation of Patients With Multiple Myeloma and Their Caregivers

Individuals with multiple myeloma (MM) are vulnerable because of the effects of systemic organ damage and the side effects of treatment. A decline in patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a compromised participation in everyday life was reported. The diagnosis of MM negatively affects the principal informal caregiver. This is a concurrent exploratory mixed methods study that involves the use of a quantitative and a qualitative approach. For the quantitative study, aims are to describe any possible relation between the identified factors with HRQoL and participation in individuals with MM and with reactions to caring and self-efficacy of caregivers. For the qualitative study, aims are to investigate "how" and "why" the disease impacts the daily life of individuals with MM and their caregivers. The final analyses will be based on the comparison of the results of the quantitative phase and the results of the qualitative phase.