• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated patient nutritional status in a home care setting. Method: We recruited 81 patients who received in-home care using a screening sheet. The level of nutrition-related serum marker (albumin) was checked via medical records and data analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-tests, and $X^2$-test. Results: Nutritional status varied according to the primary medical diagnosis. Poor nutritional status was significantly higher in cancer patients than in other diseases. Serum albumin levels were significantly lower in the malnutrition group than the good nutrition group. Conclusions: Nutrition screening can determine the nutritional status in home care patients. Home care nurse practitioners should consider nutritional status when assessing patient health.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.290-303
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• 1996

There is a need to define the concept of suffering more appropriate in the context of Korean culture. This research is an attempt to analyze and develop the concept of suffering by applying the Hybrid Model suggested by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim. The data were collected from March 20, 1995 to September 17,1995. The subjects of the study were eight persons including in-patients and out-patients of a general hospital who were diagnosed as having cancer and those resting in sanatoria for natural treatment of cancer. Qualitative research methods of in-depth interview and participant observation were used for data collection. The contents of the interviews were recorded on tape. Data-analysis progressed according to the 3 phases suggested by the Hybrid Model. For each case, in-depth interview data and participant observation data were included and the attributes of suffering revealed in these data were analyzed. Finally, by summarizing the results from each case, the attributes of suffering, its dimensions, definition, and processes observed in the field were suggested. According to the results of the study, the followlng new definition of suffering is suggested : Suffering is a fundamental and inevitable experience of all human beings. When each individual experiences loss, damage, and pain which threaten one's personal integrity, suffering is perceived differently among each individual depending on their personal inner factors, one's significant others, exterior circumstances and stimuli, and the ultimate meaning of life. Suffering brings severe and unendurable distress which accompany despair, powerlessness, anxiety, bitterness, fear, anguish, guilt, depression, withdrawal and anger. The results of this study suggest that the more responsibility and burden a cancer patient felt, the more suffering she/he experienced and it tended to be more relevant to one's significant others and exterior circumstances and stimuli : the less responsibility and burden a cancer patient had, the less suffering she/he experienced and it tended to be related to one's inner factors. These findings have implications for nursing profession. When caring for patients who experience suffering, nurses need to consider the influence of responsibility, burden, and each dimension of suffering. Moreover, appropriate nursing interventions aimed at relieving pain and satisfying the spiritual need of patients experiencing loss need to be developed and implemented more widely.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.378-387
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• 2004

Purpose: The study was undertaken to examine the degree of nurse's suffering experience and to identify the influencing factors on nurses' suffering experience in Korea. Method: Data were collected using a questionnaire for 271 nurses working at 5 general hospitals in Daegu and Kyung-book province from Sep. 1, to Sep. 30, 2003. The questionnaire consists of 54 items, general characteristics(10) and nurse's suffering experience(44). All surveys were sorted and studied by frequency analysis, mean score, standard deviation, range, independent t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Multiple regression. Result: The findings of this survey indicate 1) The degree of suffering experienced by nurses caring for terminal cancer patients was 2.96; 2) Demographic variables affecting the degree of nurses' suffering experience were age(F=5.62, p=.000), marital status(F=20.53, p=.000), religion(F=5.44, p=.020), career of clinical experience(F=6.96, p=.000), and feelings of end-life care(F=3.11, p=.016); 3) There were slight correlation between the subitem of nurse's suffering experience and general characteristics of subjects. For 'expanding self consciousness', age, career duration, and position; for 'forming empathy with family', age and career duration ; for 'spiritual sublimation', age, and career duration were affected variables. 4) As a result of the multiple regression analysis for predictable variables affecting nurses' suffering, it was found that 'career of clinical experience' was most significant(F=23.100, p=.000). The explanatory power of this regression formula was 17.6%. Conclusion: This study can provide the basic data useful towards improvement of nursing services for terminal cancer patients and the health of the nurse.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data to improve the QOL in patients suffering from female cancers. Subjects of this study were consisted 255 persons who admitted or visited three university hospitals. The instruments used for this study included "the Quality Of Life Scale(QOL)" developed by National Conference on Cancer Nursing and successively amended by Kwon(1990), "Anger in" developed by Spielberger(1988) and successively amended by Chon(1997). The collected data were analyzed using a SPSS 11.0 for PC. To find out significant factors of Anger in & QOL in patients with Female Cancer patients, Frequency, Percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe-test, Pearson's correlation coefficients were conducted. The main findings : Anger in score was a little low & QOL score was middle. Several characteristics of the subjects were identified to differenti ate the "Anger in" and "QOL". Age status(F=2.64, p=0.05), education status(F=2.73, p=0.04), Health insurance(t=2.27, p=0.00) and cancer insurance status(t=2.97, p=0.00) was significant factors of the "Anger in". Education status(F=2.64 p=0.05), Occupation status (t=2.90, p=0.00), Monthly income (F=3.23 p=0.01), Stage of disease(F=9.23 p=0.00), Perceived health status(F=73.61 p=0.00), Perceived fatigue status(F=11.26 p=0.00) was significant factors of the "QOL". In conclusion, Anger in score was a little low & QOL sore was moderate. The degree of Anger in and quality of life were significantly negative correlated. Therefore, It is needed strategies for intervention of 'Anger in' to improve the QOL in female cancer patients. The significant characteristics of related to "anger in" & QOL should consider in sociopsychogical nursing intervention.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide the basic data for development of nursing intervention to decrease the uncertainty in cancer patients having chemotherapy through promoting their spiritual health and identifying the relationship between spiritual health and uncertainty. Method: 174 cancer patients who were admitted for chemotherapy at hospital were recruited from the 7th March to the 10th April, 2006. Two instruments have been used for this study. One was Highfield's Spiritual Health Inventory and the other was Mishel's MUIS(Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale). The collected data was analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean value, average mean, standard deviation, t-test, Scheffe's test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Coefficients with the SPSS PC 12.0 program. Results: The average mean value of the spiritual health $3.50{\pm}\;.48$ and the uncertainty was $1.91{\pm}\;.46$. It meant that the relationships between spiritual health and uncertainty were shown to have a moderately negative correlation(r=-.489, p= .000). This means that the greater is the spiritual health, the less is the patient's uncertainty. Conclusions: It was identified that cancer patients having chemotherapy had moderate spiritual health and uncertainty, and negative correlation between spiritual health and uncertainty. Therefore, it will be necessary for the development of spiritual nursing intervention strategies to relieve the uncertainty among cancer patients having chemotherapy.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.99-109
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• 2022

Purpose: More than 60% of patients with advanced cancer experience pain, and uncontrolled pain reduces the quality of life. Nurses are the closest healthcare providers to the patient and are suitable for managing cancer pain using pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the performance of cancer pain management among nurses. Methods: This study was conducted among 155 participating nurses working at a tertiary hospital who had experience with cancer pain management. Data collection was performed between October 18, 2021 and October 25, 2021. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, the independent-sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: There were 110 subjects (71.0%) who had no experience of cancer pain management education. The results of regression analysis indicated that barriers included medical staff, patients, and the hospital system for cancer pain management (𝛽=0.28, P<0.001). The performance of cancer pain management was also affected by experience of cancer pain management training (𝛽=0.22, P=0.007), and cancer pain management knowledge (𝛽=0.21, P=0.006). The explanatory power of the variable was 16.6%. Conclusion: It is crucial to assess system-related obstacles, as well as patients and medical staff, in order to improve nurses' cancer pain management performance. A systematic approach incorporating multidisciplinary interventions from interprofessional teams is required for effective pain management. Furthermore, pain management education is required both for cancer ward nurses and nurses in other wards.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 2003

Purpose: The purposes of the study were 1) to examine what relationships exist between PTE(perceived treatments effect) and PPS (perceived physical suffering) as the independent variables and hope as the dependent variable and 2) to examine whether PTE and PPS predict hope in cancer patients in their post-operative period within the Stotland's hope theory. Method: The Visual Analog Scale was used for measuring PTE and PPS and the Kim & Lee's Hope Scale which had acceptable reliability and validity was used for measuring hope. The data was collected from 38 hospitalized cancer patients who were in the post-operative period with a convenient sampling method. Result: There was a significant positive relationship between hope and the PTE in the low PTE group. There was a significant negative relationship between hope and the PPS in the low PPS group. There were no significant relationships between hope and the PTE in the high PTE group, and between hope and the PPS in the high PPS group. And the PTE explained hope with 71.2% of the variance in the low PTE group. Conclusion: PTE in the low PTE group and PPS in the low PPS group were identified as the factors to explain hope.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6783-6790
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• 2013

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest type of cancer among women, and in Malaysia 50-60% of the new cases are being detected at late stages. Do age, education level, income, ethnicity, relationship with breast cancer patients and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors influence breast screening practices? This study revealed interesting but significant differences. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and early detection measures among women in a high risk group. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey of one hundred and thirty one women relatives of breast cancer patients was carried out. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, during hospital visits. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: The majority of the respondents (71%) had poor knowledge of the risk factors for breast cancer. Income, relationship with a patient and practise of breast cancer screening predicted performance of mammography, $R^2$=0.467, F=12.568, p<0.0001. Conclusions: The finding shows inadequate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and poor cancer screening practise among women with family history of breast cancer. Poor knowledge and practise of breast screening are likely to lead to late stage presentation of breast cancer disease. Some important predictors of breast cancer screening behaviour among women with positive family history of breast cancer were identified. An understanding of the strengths and significance of the association between these factors and breast screening behaviour is vital for developing more targeted breast health promotion.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-23
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• 2001

This study was done to provide basic data on prevention of breast cancer by identifying and analyzing risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women. The data were collected from three hospitals. The data from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1997 was based on the patient recordings and personal contacts if possible. Data from 1998 to 1999 was collected from 280 inpatients and outpatients diagnosed as breast cancer. From this data, information about the risk factors of breast cancer could be acquired. The factors are scaled according to the degree of risk. Menstrual history, obstetrical history, family history. lactation period, life style were given 5 point, and body mass index was given 4 point. Using one-way ANOVA. the most important risk factors were identified and analyzed by multiple regression. The conclusion of this study are as follows : General factors which would show an effect on the results of the multiple regression included risk factors such as menstrual history, obstetrical history, lactation period, family history, and life style factors including mortal state, monthly income, educational level, job and age. Family history(R=0.481) was found to be the highest risk factor(23.1%) affecting breast cancer risk. The next factors were dying hair(R=0.603), drinking(R=0.846), body mass index(R=0.885), smoking(R=0.916), age of menopause(R=0.937), pregnancy age of first full-term(R=0.957), eating vegetable(R=0.980) and the number of full term pregnancies in that order. The sum total(R=0.986) of all the above factors accounted for 97.3% of the risk of breast cancer for Korean women. In conclusion, it was found that family history and dyeing hair were the highest risk factors for breast cancer. It is recommended that those with a family history of breast cancer should have regular breast examinations, and those who often dye their hair should reconsider this practice.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.744-753
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• 2007

Purpose: The effects of telephone intervention on self-care practices and quality of life for gynecological cancer patients under chemotherapy was investigated. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was used. The subjects were women cancer patients who had received less than two chemotherapy sessions at C university hospital of Chonnam province(26 in the experimental group: 25 in the control group). The patient's self-care practices(Na & Lee, 1999; Jang, 2004) and quality of life(Lee & Jo, 1997) were measured three times. using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed by Repeated Measures ANOVA, the Friedman test, and the Mann-Whitney test using the SPSS window version 12.0 program. Results: This study showed that the score of self-care practices and quality of life for the experimental group under telephone counseling were higher than those of the control group. Conclusion: This study revealed that a telephone intervention as supportive nursing care for women cancer patients under going chemotherapy was effective for self-care practices and qualify of life during the recovery period. Futhermore, this study also suggests that telephone counseling can serve as a continuing nursing supportive intervention for women cancer patients for the upcoming stages of further chemotherapy.