• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.310-320
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a rehabilitation program on physical health, physiological indicators and quality of life in breast cancer mastectomy patients. Methods: The subjects included thirty-one patients with breast cancer(17 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group). The subjects in the experimental group participated in a rehabilitation program for 10 weeks, which was composed of an exercise program, teaching, counseling and support for 2 sessions per week. Results: There was a significant increase in flexion, internal rotation and external rotation but no significant increase in extension in the experimental group compared to the control group. The total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, and CD56 in the experimental group compared to the control group was not significantly decreased after the rehabilitation program. Compared to the control group, quality of life in the experimental group was significantly improved and fatigue in that group was significantly decreased after the rehabilitation program. Conclusion: The 10-week rehabilitation program showed a large affirmative effect on physical health, physiological indicators and quality of life in breast cancer mastectomy patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.644-658
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cognitive effects of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Using several databases, prospective studies were collected up to August 2011. Of 2,106 publications identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria, and 8 studies were used to estimate the effect size of chemotherapy on cognitive impairment. Results: Twelve studies were done since 2005 and most of the research was performed in Europe or North America. Eight studies were used to generate effect size across the cognitive domains of attention/concentration, verbal and visual memory, executive function, visuospatial skill, language, and subjective cognitive function. Each of the cognitive domains showed small effect sizes (-0.02 ~ -0.26), indicating diminished cognitive function for the chemotherapy group compared with non-chemotherapy groups. Conclusion: Finding suggests that breast cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy may experience mild cognitive decline. Further study is needed to generate knowledge and guideline for interventions to address chemotherapy related cognitive impairment in these patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2017

Purpose: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesis research findings on relationships of quality of life with multi-dimensional correlates in Korean breast cancer patients. Methods: For the study purpose, 18 studies were selected through a systematic process of searching the literature. Results: Among the general characteristics, variables having a significant relationship with quality of life were age (ES=.19), marital status (ES=.15), education (ES=.19), economic status (ES=.16), job status (ES=.10), and religion (ES=.13). Among the disease characteristics, type of treatment (ES=.12), length of time since diagnosis (ES=.13), stage of disease (ES=.14), length of time since operation (ES=.10), frequency of treatment (ES=.19), wound site and pain (ES=.16) were shown to have a significant relationship with quality of life. Depression (ES=-.60), one of the psychological factor, was the variable most significantly related to quality of life. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the variables which strongly impact quality of life in breast cancer patients are depression and pain.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.109-119
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to develop the concept of resilience focusing on cancer patients in Korea. Methods: This study was done in three phases sugggested in the Hybrid Model; theoretical phase, fieldwork phase, and analytical phase. Eight cancer patients participated in the fieldwork phase. Results: The antecedent of the concept of resilience was the crisis or adversity that threatens life or changes the quality of life. The attributes of resilience were psychosocial, relational, situational confrontation and faith (philosophical) characteristics. 1) Psychosocial : self worth, self efficacy, self-confidence, independence, optimistic & positive mind, strong will, and responsibility, 2) Relational : relation-oriented, intimacy, and social interests, 3) Situational confrontation : appraisal of stress situation, problem-oriented coping, and ability to applicate a new situation, 4) Faith (philosophical) : the belief that self-knowledge is valuable, finding positive meanings, religious belief, a belief that lives are worthwhile and meaningful, and a balanced perspective of one's life. The consequences of resilience were acceptance of adversity, getting through one's dread and apprehensions, and gratitude & sharing life. The contributing factor of resilience is positive family support. Conclusion: The concept of resilience is necessary in order to manage cancer patients for promoting quality of life so that its application may have a positive impact on the patients care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.214-224
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• 2011

Purpose: Understanding daily life experiences of patients admitted to hospital with recurrent breast cancer. Methods: The grounded theory method was used for this study. Results: Consistent comparative analysis was used throughout the study to obtain the results. Results showed that inpatients with recurrent breast cancer experience 'a co-existence of life suffering and fear of death'. The causal condition of this result was determined to be 'patient's response to cancer recurrence (acceptance/despair)', including contextual conditions such as, 'previous experience with cancer treatment', 'patient's current physical condition', and 'treatment methods for recurrent cancer'. Intervening conditions, such as 'a strong will to live', 'family support', 'moral support providers', and action/interaction strategies were found to provide patients with 'a strength to live'. Shown in these results, inpatients with recurrent breast cancer were seen to have a simultaneous 'hope for life and fear of death'. Conclusion: When providing nursing services to inpatients with recurrent breast cancer, people must recognize there is a notable difference between individual patients' contextual conditions and interactive strategies. Henceforth, proper cognitive nursing must be provided which encourages patients to maintain a strong will to overcome the many hardships of treatment as well as physical nursing, such as management of side effects caused by chemotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.234-242
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of knowledge and medication adherence to hormonal therapy (HT) and to identify the factors influencing medication adherence for patients with breast cancer. Methods: Data were collected from 136 patients undergoing adjuvant HT for breast cancer in 3 general hospitals from July 1 to August 14 in 2014 using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, $Scheff{\grave{e}}$ test, and multiple regression. Results: The average of knowledge about HT was $5.15{\pm}2.22$ (Max 9), and that of medication adherence was $5.76{\pm}1.65$ (Max 8). Younger age, shorter duration of HT, more active participation in decision making for treatment, positive perception for impacts of HT, and stronger belief in cure were influencing factors on higher adherence level. Age, duration of HT, and perception on the impacts of hormonal therapy, and belief in cure explained 25.2% of the adherence. Conclusion: To improve the treatment adherence to hormonal therapy, patient education and involvement in decision making, and the tailored intervention for the patients with older age, and long treatment period of HT are needed. Additionally, the strategies for diminishing unintentional forgetting is necessary to be developed.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was done to identify the effects of semen sinapsis albae acupressure on fatigue and sleep among patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast neoplasms. Methods: The design was a nonequivalent control group nonsynchronized design. Participants were 46 hospitalized patients (23 in the experimental group and 23 in the control group) who were undergoing chemotherapy during November and December 2014. The experimental group underwent routine chemotherapy nursing care and at the same time received acupressure on the spots of Zoksamli, Samumgyo and Shinmun. The control group underwent routine chemotherapy nursing care. The data were analyzed using test and t-test with the SPSS 21.0 program. Results: The level of fatigue in the experimental group was lower than in the control group (t=5.82, p<.001). The level of sleep in the experimental group was higher than in the control group (t=-5.16, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that acupressure is an effective nursing intervention to decrease fatigue and increase sleep in patients with breast neoplasm undergoing chemotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.583-591
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and a fighting spirit among the patients with cancer. Methods: The participants were 223 patients diagnosed stomach, colorectal or breast cancer, and who were in chemotherapy or follow up care. The study design was cross-sectional at the time of the data collection. The degree of spirituality was measured by the Korean version of WHOQOL Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs (SRPB) Pilot Test Module, and fighting spirit was measured by the scores of Mental Adjustment to Cancer(MAC) scale. Results: The score of love appeared to be higher in the patients with follow up care than the patients with treatment(p<0.05) and the score of believing was much higher in patients with recurrence than the patients without (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation among hope, believing, love, forgiveness and acceptance, and fighting spirit. In the multiple regression analysis, hope and believing explained much variance of the fighting spirit. Conclusion: These finding showed that the more hopeful and believing patients with cancer had higher scores of fighting spirit, which was known to be one of the most active coping style in adjusting to cancer.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.479-487
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• 2006

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to measure the degree of uncertainty in illness, hope, and spiritual well-being and to examine the relationship among uncertainty in illness, hope, and spiritual well-being of cancer patients. Method: The data were derived from answers to questionnaires obtained from 93 cancer patients at one general hospital in J area from April 6, 2004 to May 8, 2004. The collected data were analyzed by SSPS 10.0. Results: The mean score of uncertainty in illness of cancer patients was 55.96. The mean score of hope of cancer patients was 79.77, and spiritual well-being was 55.20. Uncertainty in illness of cancer patients was related negatively to hope(r=-.57, p=.000). Also uncertainty in illness of cancer patients was related negatively to spiritual well-being(r=-.57, p=.000). However, hope of cancer patients was related positively to spiritual well-being(r=.67, p=.000). Conclusion: Higher uncertainty in illness was related to lower hope and spiritual well-being of cancer patients. Based upon these results, nurses should help patients to improve their hope and spiritual well-being through mediation of uncertainty in illness.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.416-425
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• 2006

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a follow-up program for breast cancer patients after surgery. Method: A quasi-experimental design was used. The subjects were 56 breast cancer patients (experimental group: 27, control group: 29). The subjects of the experimental group participated in the Follow-up program of 7 sessions once a week, during 4 weeks including one telephone visit. The program consisted of health education of breast cancer, exercise, lymph edema prevention, diet education, theraband rehabilitation exercise, laugh therapy, and breast self examination. The obtained data were analysed by using the ANCOVA of SPSS. Results: There was a significant difference in the scores of physical wellbeing, symptom distress and mood state between the two groups. Conclusion: Considering these research results, short-term intervention could improve physical and emotional functioning abilities by helping better health. Nurses should establish and manage a proper program to provide multipurpose support and it must apply the program after surgery as soon as possible for breast cancer women.