• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2005

Purpose: This descriptive correlation study was to identify the influencing factors on fatigue of patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. Method: One hundred twenty-six breast cancer patients were recruited from a radiotherapy clinic of two university hospitals. Data were collected using a package of questionnaires consisting of the Symptom Experience Scale, mood disturbance scale, and Social Support Scale. Results: The mean score of the fatigue, physical status, emotional status, and social support was 4.18, 21.96, 100.95, and 3.70, respectively. Family support and health profession support were 3.94 and 3.47, respectively. Fatigue and physical status, fatigue and emotional status, physical status and emotional status were found to have statistically positive correlations. But emotional status and social support were found to have statistically negative correlation. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the influencing factors on fatigue were emotional status, marital status, and physical status which explained 64.4% fatigue of breast cancer patients.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the needs of hospice care in families of the hospitalized patients with terminal cancer. Method: The data were collected from April to July, 2008. The participants were 100 family caregivers of hospitalized terminal patients with cancer recruited from two general hospitals in 2 cities in Korea. Needs of hospice care were measured using the 'Needs Assessment Instrument for Hospice Care in Families of the Patients with Cancer'. Results: The mean of needs score was 76.6, which meant degree of the needs was very high. Among the categories of the needs, the mean of category 'emotional care' was the highest. There were significant differences in the needs of hospice care according to sex and type of present therapy. Conclusion: Health care providers in hospital and hospice facilities must assess the needs of families as well as the patients in order to meet their specific needs. Additionally, they need to have deeper understanding of the need of emotional care and to apply emotional care to hopice patients and their families.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.635-644
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• 2007

Purpose: This study examined what characteristics and variables predict participation in support groups for women with breast cancer. Method: 282 women with breast cancer from 4 hospitals located in Busan were included in the study. Data was measured on each participant from September 2006 to February 2007. Data was collected using structured researcher-administered sheets and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: The clients reported medium levels of illness perception, anxiety and depression, stress with coping, social support and self-efficacy. 48.9% of women with breast cancer participated in support groups. Significant influencing factors on the participation in support groups were 'operation time(+)', 'illness perception(+)', 'social support(-)', and 'self-efficacy(+)' Those variables explained 73.4%. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop a strategy or promoting program for promotion of illness perception and self-efficacy of women with breast cancer. Thus, it is essential to provide participation to a support group to a women with breast cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.602-615
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• 1998

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the homecare needs of the discharged patient with cancer as perceived by nurses caring hospitalized cancer patients. At two hospitals in Gyeongnam, 74 nurses responded to an open-ended questionnaire consisting of four need categories : 1) educational & informational need, 2) physical need, 3) emotional need, 4) social need. Respondents were asked to list above ten needs of cancer patient in each category. Two researchers analyzed the data by content analysis method. The findings are summarized as follows : 1) A total of 1,417 need items were generated by nurses. The largest number of needs were in the educational & informational need category(475 items, 36.3%). Physical(414 items, 31.6%), emotional (237 items, 18.1%) need were the second, third largest, and social(184 items, 14.0%) need made up the smallest category. 2) In the educational & informational need category, there were seven subcategories of prognosis, diet & exercise, medication & pain, wound care, folk remedy, personal hygiene, comfort. The need items related to prognosis of cancer accounted for almost a half(48.2%) of the total. 3) In the physical need category, there were ten subcategories of personal hygiene, skin & tissue, nutrition, side effect on treatment, exercise, pain, elimination, equipment, comfort & safety, others. The largest number of needs were in subcategory of the personal hygiene(82 items, 19.8%). 4) In the emotional need category, there were four subcategories of emotional support related to disease, emotional support related to routine life, spiritual support, maintenance of relationship with nurse & doctor. The largest number of needs were in subcatgory of the emotional support related to disease(96 items, 40.5%). 5) In the social need category, there were five subcategories of support for social life, household management, legal support, the use of volunteer service, financial support. The largest number of needs were in support for social life subcategory(58 items, 31.5%).

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the effects of provision of a cancer pain guideline and education for patients with cancer and their families on their knowledge and attitude toward cancer pain control. Method: A nonequivalent control group pre-post test design was used. The participants were selected according to a selection criteria from patients and their families on the medical ward at K university hospital in D city. Both the experimental group for patients with cancer and control group consisted of 16 patients and their families. Results: The first hypothesis, which assumed that there was a difference between the patients in the experimental group and the control group on knowledge (t=-20.006, p=.000) and attitude (t=-13.492, p=.000), was accepted. The second hypothesis, which assumed there was a difference between families in the experimental group and the control group on knowledge (t=-16.087, p=.000) and attitude (t=-10.262, p=.000), was supported. Conclusion: Education for cancer related pain control with a patient guideline had a positive effect on knowledge and attitude of patients with cancer patients and their families suggesting that there is a need to developed this type of guidelines.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an instrument to measure suffering of family of patients with terminal cancer. Methods: This research was a methodological study processed as follows: 1) The preliminary 32 items were developed based a conceptual framework of suffering for patients with cancer. 2) The content was validated by an expert panel (n=24) and the family of patients with terminal cancers (n=33). 3) The instrument was validated by survey (n=92). Finally, 29 items were selected in developing final version of the scale. Results: Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis: 'economical distress', 'loss of meaning in life', 'feeling of social isolation', 'emotional distress', 'burnout', 'guilty feeling', and 'physical discomfort'. These factors explained 66.94% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha and Guttman Split-half coefficient of the 29 items were .93 and .92. respectively. Conclusion: This scale identified as a valid and reliable tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. It can be effectively utilized to assess the degree of suffering of family in palliative care settings.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program on pain, flexibility, grip strength and stress in patient with breast cancer following surgery. Method: Study was designed as a non-synchronized research method with a nonequivalent control group. Data collection was performed from September 2007 to January 1, 2008. Participants were 34 patients (experimental group: 19, control group: 15) undergoing surgery for breast cancer in a hospital in D city. Women in the experimental group were participated in the cancer-overcome BeHaS (Be Happy and Strong) exercise program for 60 minutes per session once a week for 8 weeks and it was recommended that they do the exercises once more each week at home. The control group received one education session on breast cancer management. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups for pain, flexibility or grip strength. But stress in experimental group was significantly decreased compared to that of the control group. Conclusion: This result suggests that cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program is helpful to reduce stress in patients after breast cancer surgery. Further research is needed for multi-dimensional evaluation on psycho-social effects of cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.244-252
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• 2003

This study was intented to identify the differences of fatigue and quality of life in patients with breast cancer according to the different treatment modalities. Ninety-one subjects were recruited from a medical unit and a therapeutic radiologic clinic at a university hospital in Chungnam, Korea. Fatigue was measured using Lee's scale(1999) translated from Piper's Fatigue Scale and quality of life was measured using Yang's scale(2002). The women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy were less fatigued and had better quality of life than those receiving radiotherapy(t=-2.914, p=.005; t=2.565, p=.012, respectively). The fatigue and quality of life in the women with breast cancer undergoing cancer treatments were influenced by the weight change during the past 3 months(F=24.70, p=.039). Cancer stage, metastasis and weight were not associated with fatigue and quality of life. Health professionals can help cancer patients undergoing treatments prepare to cope with the expected side effects by providing a specific treatment-related information to them. The findings of this study can contribute the knowledge of these information.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.50-63
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to develop and evaluate the effects of an empowerment program. Method: We developed an 8-week empowerment program to decrease cancer symptoms and increase self-efficacy, self-esteem, and empowerment. This program includes aspects concerning self-knowledge and management, self-help groups, self-advocacy, resource network, and laughter therapy. We evaluated the effects of this program on 32 home-based cancer patients (one group pretest-posttest design). The data collection was performed from August 22, 2011 to October 13, 2011. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Result: There were significant differences in self-esteem derived from the empowerment program. However, there were no significant differences in cancer symptoms, self-efficacy, and empowerment after the program. Conclusion: More research, using a control group pretest-posttest design that considers an appropriate intervention duration, is needed to more accurately examine the effects of the program. We expect this intervention to improve the empowerment of home-based cancer patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.420-430
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test a hypothetical model of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and depression in people with gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: A purposive sample of 198 patients undergoing chemotherapy was recruited from November 2014 to July 2015. The instruments were Everyday Cognition (ECog), Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F), and M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Gastrointestinal Cancer Module. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and path analysis. Results: CRCI was directly affected by cancer symptoms (${\beta}=.19$, p=.004) and fatigue (${\beta}=.56$, p<.001)($R^2=47.2%$). Depression was directly affected by fatigue (${\beta}=.48$, p<.001) and CRCI (${\beta}=.27$, p<.001). However, The impact of cancer symptoms on depression was confirmed through the mediating effect of CRCI. Conclusion: Results indicate that in patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy along with the direct physiologic effects (fatigue, symptoms) of cancer treatment may have altered cognitive function leading to depression.