• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.478-487
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• 2003

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between fatigue and nutritional status in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Design. A correlational and crossectional study design was used. Method. One-hundred-fifty-one subjects with cancer receiving radiotherapy were recruited from a university hospital in Chonan, Korea. Fatigue was measured using Piper's Fatigue Scale (PFS). The parameters for nutritional status included body weight, body mass index, hemoglobin, and lymphocyte counts. Cancer stage was controlled in analyzing the differences in fatigue, body weight and body mass index. Results. The patients who experienced most fatigue were in their fifties, employed, had head and neck cancer, received radiotherapy on the head and neck, and had concomitant chemotherapy. Disease-related characteristics such as cancer type, and treatment type were frequently related to poorer nutritional status. Patients who showed poorer nutritional status, such as those with lower body weight, lower body mass index and lower hemoglobin levels were more fatigued than those who did not exhibit such characteristics. Lymphocyte counts did not correlate with fatigue. Conclusion: The findings can be used by nurses who are taking care of patients undergoing radiotherapy. Considering the relationship between fatigue and nutritional status, nurses can identify the risk group most vulnerable to fatigue and malnourishment in order to provide appropriate interventions for them.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.623-633
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• 2012

Objectives : Fatigue is a common and distressing symptom that is a concern for cancer patients. It has a decisive effect on quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of clinical trial to evaluate of efficacy and safety of acupuncture on cancer related fatigue of lung cancer patients. Methods : Total lung cancer 9 patients complained of fatigue were treated by acupuncture twice a week for four weeks(8 times in total). Evaluation of the severity of fatigue was measured by FSS(Fatigue Severity Score). In visit 1, 10, we checked FSS. For check safety of acupuncture treatment, we did blood test. Results : After 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment, the FSS was significantly decreased from $4.92{\pm}1.06$ to $3.74{\pm}1.37$(p=0.008). And the level of hemoglobin was significantly increased from 10.87 g/dl to 12.01 g/dl(p=0.014). No other lab measures indicated any significant differences between before and after acupuncture treatment. Conclusions : This study suggests that acupuncture treatment will be beneficial for lung cancer patients to improve the fatigue severity. And acupuncture treatment is safe method for lung cancer patients. A large-scale study to confirm efficacy and safety of acupuncture is needed.

• 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.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a combined exercise program on the level of physical fitness and fatigue for cancer survivors. Methods: The subjects were all of 61 persons consisted of prostate cancer(n=22), breast cancer (n=20), and stomach cancer(n=19) survivors. The exercise program was composed of a wall exercise, a chair exercise, a towel exercise and a bottle exercise which lasted 50-60 minutes each, two times a week for 12 weeks. The outcome measures were the fat mass, the muscle mass, the grip strength, the sit and reach, the 6 minutes walk, & fatigue. Results: At the completion of the 12-week combined exercise program, there were statistically significant differences in the grip strength, the sit & reach, the 6 minutes walk, & fatigue for the prostate, breast, and stomach cancer survivors. But no significant differences were found in the muscle mass between the pretest and posttest. Conclusion: As the 12-week combined exercise program was proved to be an effective intervention for improving muscle strength, flexibility, cardiopulmonary fitness & fatigue, it is thought that the program can be utilized as a rehabilitation program for cancer survivors.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.710-718
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• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between fatigue, and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer. Method: The data was collected from January 21th to April 8th 2001. The study subjects were recruited from K hospital in Pusan, Korea. Their fatigue was measured using the 22-item Revised Piper Fatigue Scale developed by Piper et al. (1998) and translated by the investigators, and self-efficacy was measured using the 10-item General Self-efficacy Questionnaire developed by Lee, Schwarzer & Jerusalem. The data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 program using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Post-hoc test (Scheffe's test), and Pearson Correlation Coefficients. Result: 1) The mean fatigue score was $118.48{\pm}33.02$ (range: 22-220). The scores for sub-dimension were $35.40{\pm}10.06$ in behavior/severity, $25.98{\pm}9.06$ in affective score, $27.88{\pm}10.06$ in sensory score, and $29.22{\pm}8.27$ in cognitive/mood. The mean self-efficacy score was $28.80{\pm}5.85$. 2). There were significant differences in the fatigue of patients with lung cancer on income per month (F=4.651, p= .014), 'present pain' (F=2.601, p= .012), 'change of weight' (F=5.911, p= .005), by general characteristics. 3) There were significant differences in the self-efficacy of patients with lung cancer on 'religion' (F=3.732, p= .031), 'employment status' (F=5.525, p= .003), 'past therapy' (F=2.869, p= .034), by general characteristics 4) There was a significant negative correlation between fatigue and self-efficacy (r=- .528, p= .000). Conclusion: Patients with lung cancer experience fatigue. Increased fatigue is associated with decreased self-efficacy. Nurses must provide patients with nursing care for the less occurrence of fatigue and interventions to manage self-efficacy for them.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.378-389
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• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of fatigue and quality of sleep in patients with cancer. Method: The data was collected from January to February 2001. Study objects were recruited K university hospital in Busan, Korea. Their fatigue was measured using the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale developed by Piper et. al(1998), and quality of sleep was measured using Quality of Sleep Questionare by Oh et. al(1998). Result: 1) The fatigue score was mean $114.80{\pm}34.88$(range: 22-220). The sub dimension that showed behavior/severity score at $33.70{\pm}13.89$, affective score at $24.23{\pm}3.33$, sensory score at $27.74{\pm}12.51$, and cognitive/mood score at $29.11{\pm}3.71$. And sleep quality score was mean $37.32{\pm}8.18$. 2) There was a significant difference in religion(F=4.157, P= .008), present therapy(F=2.536, P= .043), past therapy(F=6.625, P= .000), major caregiver(F=3.133, P= .028), and change of weight(F=7.965, P=.006), according to general characteristics in the fatigue in patients with cancer. 3) There was a significant difference in present pain(t=-2.103, P= .037) and change of weight(F=5.484, P=.005), according to general characteristics in the sleep quality in patients with cancer. 4) There was a significant negative correlation between fatigue and quality of sleep(r=- .340, P= .000). Conclusion: Patients with cancer experience in fatigue. Increase in fatigue are associated with decreases in quality of sleep. Nurses must provide patients with nursing care about the occurrence of fatigue and interventions to deal with sleep disturbance.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.378-387
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of fatigue and distress on self-efficacy among breast cancer survivors and to provide a base for development of nursing intervention strategy to improve self-efficacy. Methods: A descriptive research design was used. The subjects were 158 patients who were either being treated or were receiving follow-up care at a university breast center in D City from May 30 to August 30, 2014. Structured questionnaires, Revised Piper Fatigue Scale, Distress Thermometer, and Self-Efficacy Scale for Self-Management of Breast Cancer were used to measure fatigue, distress, and self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regressions. Results: The mean scores of fatigue, distress, and self-efficacy were 3.83, 4.31, and 3.77, respectively. There were significant differences among participants in terms of educational background, current treatment methods, perceived health status, economic burden for fatigue and perceived health status for distress. Self-efficacy was impacted by age, educational background, marital status, average monthly income, perceived health status, and medical expenses. Fatigue, age, and the burden on medical expense had the most impact on self-efficacy, accounting for 17% of the variance. Conclusion: Fatigue should be managed to improve self-efficacy of breast cancer survivors. Therefore, nursing programs designed to decrease fatigue may be helpful.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.541-555
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• 2002

Objectives: This study is aimed to analyze the trend of research on nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients in Korea, suggest direction for future research of nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients. Methods: 74 studies published from 1991 to 2001 were examined according to the year of publication, types of journal, research design, types of disease, care methods, major concepts, tool and research findings. Results: 1) The number of studies related nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients had increased rapidly since the 1996's(78.4%). 2) 42 nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients studies(56.1%) were done for a thesis for a degree and 32 were nondegree research studies(43.9%). 3) 70 studies(94.7%) were quantitative study, which included in 40 descriptive studies(54.1%), 22 experimental studies (29.75), 5 correlative studies(6.8%), 2 comparative studies(2.7%) and 1 case study(1.4%), and 4 studies(5.3%) were qualitative study, which included in 3 content analysis studies(3.9%) and 1 phenomenological study(1.4%). 4) Researches about cancer more than 2 were the most by 48 studies (66.1%), following leukemia researches were 8 studies(10.8%), breast cancer researches were 7 studies(9.5%), gastric cancer researches were 4 studies(5.4%), pediatric cancer researches were 3 studies(4.1%), uterine cancer researches were 2 studies(2.7%). 5) Researches about chemotherapy were the most by 39 studies(52.6%), following analgesic researches were 14 studies(18.9%), researches that do not present treatment method were 9 studies(12.2%), radiation researches were 7 studies(9.5%). 6) In 22 experimental studies, the effects of 13 types of nursing interventions were tested. Research findings were effective almost but muscle relaxation therapy to decrease nausea and vomiting was no effect. Conclusion: We need more researches about research of nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients, especially need to prove the effect of intervention or program for nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients by experimental research designs and need more qualitative researches to identify indepth the meaning of nutrition, pain and fatigue of cancer patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.177-185
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• 2005

purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of foot reflexology on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Method: The research was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent pre-post design and was conducted from Jan. 26, to Mar. 20, 2004. The subjects consisted of 34 patients with 18 in the experimental group and 16 in control group. A pretest and 2 posttests were conducted to measure nausea, vomiting and fatigue. For the experimental group, foot reflexology, which was consisted of 4 phases for 40 minutes, was given by a researcher and 4 research assistants. The collected data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in nausea, and vomiting in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. In addition, there was a statistically significant decrease in fatigue in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. Conclusion: Foot reflexology was effective on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in this study. Therefore, foot reflexology can be usefully utilized as a nursing intervention in the field of cancer nursing for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2001

This study was conducted to explore the trajectory of fatigue and related factors on people with lung cancer during chemotherapy. A total of 23 patients with lung cancer participated in the beginning stage of the study. However, 11 dropped out because of death or discontinuity of the studys regimens. The data using the Pipers Fatigue Scale, were collected twice the first day of each treatment cycle and the last day of the completion of 6 cycles. Also, the scores of fatigue using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were measured on the same day of each week during chemotherapy to explain the trajectory of fatigue. The data obtained were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed ranks tests and Kendalls tau b correlation coefficient. The score of fatigue increased in the first two weeks after the administration of chemotherapy, while decreasing after the second week. During the 1st, 5th, and 6th cycles, the scores of fatigue were greater than 5.5 out of 10. Overall, except for the 6th cycle, the score of fatigue was the highest in the first week. This could be accounted for there only being a small number of patients included in the 6th cycle. In conclusion, fatigue was severe at the end of the first week of chemotherapy, and then increased to reach a plateau in the fifth and sixth stages. The results of this study will help oncology nurses to understand the process of fatigue during chemotherapy. It will be useful to create various intervention programs to decrease fatigue in people with cancer especially in the first week of the chemotherapy.