• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.63 no.4
• /
• pp.155-181
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore 1) the illness experiences, 2) health behaviors (causal thoughts), and 3) health beliefs (health behavior changes after cancer diagnosis) among Korean breast cancer survivors using focus groups, which is a form of qualitative research methods. Thus, this study intended to understand how the illness experiences and health beliefs are associated with health behaviors. Three focus groups composed of 16 breast cancer survivors living in Seoul and GyeongGi were conducted with 5 to 6 people in each group. For illness experiences, health beliefs, and health behaviors of breast cancer survivors, some major themes related to physical, behavioral, psychological, and social domains were identified. Understanding health beliefs and health behaviors for Korean breast cancer survivors will be an important step toward developing social work interventions for enhancing health promotion.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.515-524
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify whether the couple perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event, to evaluate the association among posttraumatic growth, dyadic adjustment, and quality of life and to explore the predictors affecting quality of life of the couple. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative survey design was utilized. Participants were 57 couples recruited from a national cancer center in Korea. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, McNemar test and independent t-test. On the basis of variables found to be significantly associated with quality of life, multiple regression was used to examine the simultaneous influence of multiple predictors. Results: Breast cancers survivors and spouses perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event (43.9% and 24.6%, respectively). The global quality of life was explained by perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -19.79) and posttraumatic growth (${\beta}$=0.46) in survivors, and perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -18.81) and dyadic adjustment (${\beta}$=0.53) in spouses. Conclusion: Results suggest that future research should use qualitative methods to evaluate why contemplating reasons for cancer contributed to posttraumatic growth, examine other potential predictors of quality of life such as dyadic adjustment and intimacy, and identify links between posttraumatic growth and other psychological outcomes such as distress and well-being, using prospective analyses.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.12-19
• /
• 2012

Purpose: To examine the levels of physical activity (PA) and diet quality, socio-demographic and clinical correlates, and identify associations with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among breast cancer survivors. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional study design. A total of 74 breast cancer survivors who had completed their primary cancer therapy were recruited from a comprehensive cancer center in Korea. Measurements used included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Diet Quality Index, and the EORTC QLQ-C30. Results: Only twenty-six women (35.1%) met the American Cancer Society criteria of weekly PA, while most participants (93.2%) displayed good or excellent diet quality. Those less likely to meet the PA criteria were older women, women who had a lower economic level, and women not receiving anti-hormone therapy. However, there was no significant factor associated with diet quality. Women who met the criteria for PA displayed significantly better global QOL than women who did not meet the criteria. No significant differences were found in HRQOL between women who did and did not meet the diet quality criteria. Conclusion: Nurses should be aware of breast cancer survivors who are older and who have a low economic status when assessing and screening the level of PA to improve HRQOL.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.49-60
• /
• 2023

Purpose : We aimed to evaluate the impact of a exercise with kinect-based mixed reality device (KMR) on physical function, upper extremity disability, fatigue, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. We hypothesized that this exercise program would improve physical function, physical activity, fatigue, and quality of life. Methods : Thirty-nine breast cancer survivors were randomized to either the KMR exercise group (KE) or the home stretch group (HS). The KE participated in 8 weeks of exercise, exercising 3 times per week, while the HS performed 8 weeks of stretching exercises, also 3 times per week. Before and after the intervention period, participants underwent assessments of physical function, including body composition, chester step test (CST), and hand grip strength (HGS). Additionally, participants completed questionnaires including the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire, and functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast (FACT-B) questionnaire to measure their physical activity levels, upper extremity disability, and quality of life, respectively. Results : Overall, significant improvements were observed in several shoulder movements, body weight, and physical activity, with no significant interaction effects between groups and time. Furthermore, there was a significant group by time interaction for body weight, left flexion, right flexion, right abduction, and left adduction, as well as for upper extremity disability (K-DASH) and quality of life (FACT-B). Conclusion : In conclusion, the KMR exercise program was found to be effective at improving physical function, upper extremity disability, quality of life, and overall well-being in breast cancer survivors. The significant improvements observed in multiple measures and the significant group by time interactions for various outcomes highlight the potential benefits of this KMR exercise program in promoting a better quality of life for breast cancer survivors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.12
• /
• pp.7749-7755
• /
• 2013

Nutritional status and dietary intake play a significant role in the prognosis of breast cancer and may modify the progression of disease. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of nutritional status on the quality of life of Iranian breast cancer survivors. Cross-sectional data were collected for 100 Iranian breast cancer survivors, aged 32 to 61 years, attending the oncology outpatient clinic at Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. Nutritional status of subjects was assessed by anthropometric measurements, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and three non-consecutive 24-hour diet recalls. The European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life form (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to assess quality of life. Ninety-four percent of the survivors were well-nourished, 6% were moderately malnourished or suspected of being malnourished while none were severely malnourished. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 86%. Overall, participants had an inadequate intake of vitamin D, E, iron and magnesium according to dietary reference intake (DRI) recommendations. Survivors with better nutritional status had better functioning scales and experienced fewer clinical symptoms. It appears important to provide educational and nutritional screening programs to improve cancer survivor quality of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.2649-2656
• /
• 2013

Background: Depression is common in breast cancer patients. The aim of this paper was to make a systematic review of its prevalence and associated factors oin breast cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: An extensive systematic electronic review (PUBMED, CINAHL, PsyINFO and Ovid) and handsearch were carried out to retrieve published articles up to November 2012, using Depression OR Dysthymia AND (Cancer OR Tumor OR Neoplasms as the keywords. Information about the design of the studies, measuring scale, characteristics of the participants, prevalence of depression and its associated factors from the included studies were extracted and summarized. Results: We identified 32 eligible studies that recruited 10,826 breast cancer survivors. Most were cross-sectional or prospective designed. The most frequent instrument used to screen depression was the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression (CES-D, n=11 studies) followed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, n=6 studies) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, n=6 studies). CES-D returned about similar prevalence of depression (median=22%, range=13-56%) with BDI (median=22%, range=17-48%) but higher than HADS (median=10%, range=1-22%). Depression was associated with several socio-demographic variables, cancer-related factors, treatment-related factors, subject psychological factors, lifestyle factors, social support and quality of life. Conclusions: Breast cancer survivors are at risk for depression so that detection of associated factors is important in clinical practice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.373-382
• /
• 2017

This study investigated the nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and food intake frequency according to hospitalization after breast cancer surgery and experience of breast cancer among female adults residing in the Bucheon area. Subjects were 52 female breast cancer survivors 27 in the hospitalization group (HG) and 25 in the non-hospitalization group (non-HG)] and 52 controls. Data included the results of self-administered questionnaires, as well as anthropometric data and blood biochemical values of breast cancer survivors collected from electronic medical records. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 program. Nutrition knowledge and dietary habits revealed no significant differences between HG and non-HG, but intake frequency of root and tuber crops and kimchi was significantly higher in the HG group than the non-HG group (p<0.05). According to experience of breast cancer, total scores of nutrition knowledge among survivors (8.2) were significantly higher than those of the control group (6.3) (p<0.001). Fish and shellfish and fruit intake frequencies were significantly higher in the survivors group, whereas intake frequency of fast food, convenience food, and alcohol was significantly lower compared to the control group. Overall, these findings indicate it is necessary to develop and spread nutrition education guidelines to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of breast cancer.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify the influencing factors on the quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Methods: The subjects were 159 female patients who visited out-patient department (OPD) after the mass removal surgery for breast cancer and had completed adjuvant treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy at a university hospital and a general hospital. Data collection was conducted using the Ferrell QOL scale, the Mishel uncertainty scale, the Fitts & Osgoods body image scale revised by Jeon & Kim. the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the Kang family support scale. Results: The level of QOL in the participants was in the middle. There were a significant correlation between QOL, uncertainty, self-esteem, and family support. There were significant differences in QOL with the perceived health condition and the best support person. In a regression analysis, the most powerful predictor of QOL was body image (21.7%). Altogether uncertainty and perceived health condition explained 28.6% of the variance of QOL of the participants. Conclusion: Body image, uncertainty, and perceived health condition were important predictors of QOL. These results demonstrated the need for developing interventions to improve QOL of breast cancer survivors.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.503-512
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of socioeconomic status on quality of life(QOL) among breast cancer survivors. The data were from breast cancer survivors in their forties, among whom the prevalence in terms of age was the highest in Korea. A total of 607 cases were analyzed and the mean scores of QOL measured by FACT-B were 93.75(SD=21.50). After controlling for the other socio-demographic and medical variables, QOL was significantly correlated to income and job type, which confirms the association between high socioeconomic status and better QOL. Specifically, groups with higher income($${\geq_-}4$$ million won/month, ${\beta}=0.11$, p= .03) and groups with self-employed(${\beta}=0.10$, p= .01) or professional/managerial(${\beta}=0.17$, p< .001) job type showed significantly better QOL. The need for more attention and support, including formal and informal resources, for breast cancer survivors with low socio-economic status and the implication for practice were discussed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.3125-3130
• /
• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is a common cancer affecting women in Malaysia and the use of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with delays in getting treatment. The aim of the study was to explore the use of CAM and the influencing factors in the Northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on a convenience sample of 100 Malaysian breast cancer survivors. Findings: The reported use of CAM among the breast cancer survivors was lower than in other studies but the types of CAM used had a similar pattern with nutrition supplements/vitamins being the most common. The factors that positively influenced the use of complimentary/traditional therapy were income and getting information from television or radio. Survivors with access to internet/blogs appear to have lower odds of using complimentary/traditional therapy compared to the respondents who reported no such access. Conclusions: Information transmitted via television and radio appears to have a positive influence on CAM use by breast cancer patients compared to other information sources and it is important to ensure that such information is accurate and impartial.