• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.787-795
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• 1997

This descriptive study was conducted to ascertain whether the needs of patients with cancer, their caregivers and their nurses changed according to the illness phases and if the perceived needs of the three groups were different for three categories of nursing needs. At two hospitals in Seoul and Choongnam, three groups of subjects, -patients with cancer(79), caregivers(92), and nurses(72) - responded to a questionnaire consisting of items on educational need(11 items), physical need(8 items), emotional need(9 items) using a 4-point Likert scale. The patients and caregivers were selected according to the phase of the cancer (initial, intermediate or recurred, terminal phases). Finding revealed that the level of perception and degree of satisfaction of the needs were low, just around two points in patients and caregivers. Of the three categories of needs, physical needs were received the highest score and the degree of satisfaction of physical needs was also the highest. There was no significant difference between the level of perception and satisfaction of needs in patients and caregivers according to the phases of the illness and the degree of per reception and the satisfaction of the patients were not significantly different and caregivers showed the same result. There was a significant difference in the level of importance of the needs of nurses according to the phases of the cancer. They perceived emotional needs were the most important in first phase and second phase, physical needs in third phase and the educational needs were more important in the first phase than in any other phase. The degree of importance of needs was significantly lower than the degree to which needs were addressed, according to the nurses response. In a comparison of patient and caregiver's perceived degrees of need, and need satisfaction, and nurse's perceived degree of need provision, patient and caregiver scores were lower than the nurses.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.683-694
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• 2020

Background and objective: Cancer is the number one cause of death in Korea, and it affects any part of the body regardless of gender and age. Forest healing is a treatment that maximizes the effect of treatment and improves the quality of life. This study aims to provide basic data for the development and implementation of differentiated forest healing programs for cancer patients based on the survey on their interest and needs for the programs. Methods: The subjects were those diagnosed with cancer from October 2018 to April 2019, and this study used 144 copies of the questionnaire retrieved. The sample size of this study (n = 144) was the appropriate size required by G-Power, and the collected responses were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: In the frequency analysis on the interest in forest healing, 79.2% of the subjects had no experience participating in forest healing, but 87% were aware of it, and 82.6% showed the intention to participate in forest healing programs. This indicates that even though not many of them have experience participating in forest healing, they showed high interest and needs for participation. They preferred to participate in spring (29.9%) and fall (27.8%), in programs carried out for 1.5-2 hours in the morning on weekdays. Conclusion: This study has implications for the analysis on forest healing needs of cancer patients, and it is necessary to plan, develop, and implement differentiated forest healing programs that meet the needs of the cancer patients depending on their characteristics. There is also a need to plan forest healing program that can promote both psychological stability and physical health of cancer patients and verify and evaluate their effects based on specialized training of forest healing instructors.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2009

Purpose: This exploratory study was undertaken to analyze the information needs of family members of terminal cancer patients, collected through the telephone counselling service by National Cancer Information Center. Methods: The study included 113 family members of terminal cancer patients who had enrolled at the National Cancer Information Center for the period from June, 2007 through March, 2008 and had agreed to the survey. Results: The subjects (n=113) consisted of grown-up children (n=82) and spouses (n=8) of patients'. Those in their 40's (n=40) and 30's (n=36) accounted for the majority of the sample. The questions raised most were about the information on treatment methods (n=117), management of terminal cancer patients (n=46), terminal cancer patients' life (n=27), deathbed and prediction of remaining life (n=18), hospitalization (n=16), and financial support (n=15). Most of the subjects were satisfied with the telephone counseling services, and 69% of the subjects had come to know about the telephone counseling service via Internet, and 10.6% of them stated that the PR for the service was poor. Conclusion: It is deemed essential for the government to use the mass media for PR of the hospice services, since family members of terminal cancer patients' are less aware of the hospice conducive to enhancement of patients' remaining quality of life, being involued too deeply in their treatment.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this descriptive study was to identify factors influencing quality of life among family caregivers of non-cancer patients at the end-of-life stage. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire. Participants included 172 family caregivers caring for non-cancer patients. Data were collected from April to May 2016 and analyzed with descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and a hierarchical regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN 24.0 program. Results: The mean of the participants' quality of life was 51.70±9.98. Factors influencing quality of life among family caregivers were spiritual care (𝛽=-.45, p=.021), coordination among family members or relatives (𝛽=-.27, p=.029), and psychological support (𝛽=-.04, p=.031). The explanatory power of the model was 21.0%. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that care needs; spiritual care, coordination among family members or relatives, and psychological support are important factors for family caregivers' quality of life. To improve quality of life among family caregivers who are taking care of non-cancer patients at the end-of-life stage, national systems establishing comprehensive support considering the respective care needs of patients are crucial.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.156-168
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to examine factors influencing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and compare them between young-aged and old-aged patients with cancer. Methods: Data of 291 patients (young-aged: 168, old-aged: 123) were obtained from the 10th wave of the 2015 Korea Health Panel Survey. The HRQOL was measured using the Korean version of Euro-QoL-5D. Independent t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were performed to identify factors influencing HRQOL. Results: The average HRQOL score was 0.87±0.10 and 0.82±0.15 among young-aged and old-aged, respectively. The factors differed partially between the two groups. For young-aged, the influencing factors were activity restriction, subjectively perceived health status, and smoking. For old-aged, the influencing factors were activity restriction, subjective health status, and unmet healthcare needs. Conclusion: Strategies to improve the HRQOL of elderly adults need to be developed considering the age group. Additionally, studies that include clinical factors such as symptoms are required to prepare need-based practical approaches for better quality of life of such patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare differences in spiritual needs (SNs) and factors influencing SNs between patients with progressive terminal kidney disease and their family caregivers. Methods: An explorative comparative survey was used to identify the SNs of patients (N=102) with progressive terminal kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and their family caregivers (N=88) at a general hospital located in Seoul, South Korea. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, the independent t-test, one way analysis of variance, the Scheffe test, and multiple regression with dummy variables. Results: The SNs among family caregivers were higher than in the patient group. SNs were higher among those who were religious in both groups. Loving others was the highest-ranked subdimension in the patient group, followed in descending order by maintaining positive perspective, finding meaning, Reevaluating beliefs and life, asking "why?", receiving love and spiritual support, preparing for death, and relating to God. In the family group, the corresponding order was maintaining positive perspective, loving others, finding meaning, receiving love and spiritual support, preparing for death, relating to God, and asking "why?". The factors that had a negative influence on the level of SNs were not being religious in the patient group and having only a middle school level of education in the family group. Conclusion: The results of this study may serve as evidence that spiritual care for non-cancer patients' family caregivers should be considered as an important part of hospice and palliative care.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2020

In South Korea, female individuals in their forties show a high rate of incidence, with approximately 13% of the patients being <40 years. This statistic is more than twice as high as that in Western countries. It is therefore necessary to identify the risk factors for breast cancer incidence by age and economic activity participation status. Women aged 30 to 59-whether breast cancer patients or those in the control group and having no breast cancer-were appraised from the sample cohort database. The data were analyzed using the statistical software R36.2. To identify the factors affecting breast cancer incidence, the degree of association was determined with HR and 95% CI by means of cox regression analysis. As for the socio-demographic variables, the older the individual, the higher the risk of breast cancer incidence becomes. As for the economic activity variables, those who were dependents (unemployed) and who had higher income (medium and high) were at higher risk of breast cancer incidence, which was statistically significant. The income-adjusted HR (model 1) for breast cancer development associated with the economic activity was 1.452 (95% CI, 1.19-1.77). The body mass index and alcohol intake-adjusted HR (model 2) was 1.431 (95% CI, 1.18-1.74). One needs to pay attention to policy plans regarding women's quality of life, as well as to the risk of breast cancer incidence by their economic activity. In other words, policies need to give post care, instead of focus on early detection and cancer treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.77-80
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• 2016

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the ten most common causes of cancer death worldwide. Assessment of molecular changes can help detect and control lesions. The aim of this study was evaluation of salivary levels of ErbB2 and CEA in OSCC patients. In this case-control study, 27 OSCC patients and 26 healthy controls participated. After obtaining consent and filling out a questionnaire, unstimulated saliva samples were collected from people in the morning for measurement of the two markers using ELISA. Data were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test in SPSS 19 software with P<0.05 considered significant. Subjects were in the age range of 40 to 65 years. \Salivary level CEA was elevated in OSCC samples ($42.6{\pm}21.1ng/ml$) as compared to those of controls ($22.6{\pm}22.1ng/ml$) (p< 0.01), but no significant variation was noted for ErbB2 ($5.2{\pm}1.8ng/ml$ and $4.93{\pm}2.14ng/ml$, p=0.28). The role of ErbB2 as a tumor marker in patients with OSCC must still be regarded as controversial and needs further studies to clarify any significance for early detection or screening. In contrast the salivary level of CEA may find application for early detection of patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.958-969
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• 1998

In this study, we attempted to investigate the needs and problems of the terminal cancer patients and their family caregivers to provide them with nursing information to improve their quality of life and prepare for a peaceful death. Data was collected from August 1, 1995 to July 31, 1996 at the internal medicine unit of S hospital in Seoul area with the two groups of participants who were family members of terminal cancer patients seventy four of them were in-patients and 34 were out-patients who were discharged from the same hospital for home care. The research tool used in this study has been developed by selecting the questionnaires from various references, modifying them for our purpose and refining them based on the results of preliminary study. While general background information about the patients was obtained by reviewing their medical records, all other information was collected by interviewing the primary family caregivers of the patients using the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed with the SPSS PC/sup +/ program. The results of this study are summarized as follows ; 1) Most frequently complained symptoms of the terminal cancer patients were in the order of pain(87%), weakness(86.1%), anorexia(83.3%) and fatigue (80.6%). 2) Main therapies for the terminal cancer patients were pain control (58.3%), hyperalimentation(47.2%) and antibiotics(21.3%). 3) Special medical devices that terminal cancer patients used most were oxygen device (11.1%), and feeding tube(5.6%). Other devices were used by less than 5% of the patients. 4) The mobility of 70.4% of the patients was worse than ECOG 3 level, they had to stay in bed more than 50% of a day. 5) Patients wanted their medical staffs to help relieve pain(45.4%), various physical symptoms(29.6%), and problems associated with their emotion(11.1%). 6) 16.7% of the family caregivers hoped for full recovery of the patients, refusing to admit the status of the patients. Also, 37% wished for the extension of the patient's life at least for 6 months. 7) Only 38.9% of the family members was preparing for the patient's funeral. 8) 45.4% of family caregivers prefer hospital as the place for the patient's death, 39.8% their own home, and 14.8% undetermined. 9) Caregivers of the patients were mostly close family members, i.e., spouse(62%), and sons and daughters or daughter-in-laws(21.3%). 10) 43.5% of the family caregivers were aware of hospice care. 46.8% of them learned about the hospice care from the mass media, 27.7% from health professionals, and the rest from books and other sources. 11) Caregivers were asked about the most difficult problems they encounter in home care, 41 of them pointed out the lack of health professionals they can contact, counsel and get help from in case of emergency, 17 identified the difficulty of finding appropriate transportation to hospital, and 13 stated the difficulty of admission in hospital as needed. 12) 93.6% of family caregivers demanded 24-hour hot line, 80% the visiting nurses and doctors, and 69.4% the volunteer's help. The above results indicate that terminal patients and their family caregivers demand help from qualified health professionals whenever necessary. Hospice care system led by well-trained medical and nursing staffs is one of the viable answers for such demands.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2006

Purpose: Various minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as an endoscopic mucosal resection and a laparoscopic gastrectomy, are becoming common practice for some cases of early gastric cancer (EGC) defined in terms of the depth of invasion being limited to the mucosa or submucosa. However, there are rare cases of early gastric cancer with massive lymph-node metastasis. Materials and Methods: From 6 university hospitals of Korea, 2,772 EGC cases were resected during the various period of analysis (1,432 cases of mucosal cancer and 1,340 of submucosal cancer). Results: As control data, we used the data from a single institute, CHA University Hospital. There were nine cases of early gastric cancer (9/2,772, 0.32%) with N3 lymph node metastasis defined by more than 15 lymph nodes being metastasized according to the UICC-TNM classification (pT1N3, stage IV). Two cases were mucosal cancer (2/1,432, 0.1 4%), and seven cases were submucosal cancer (7/1,340, 0.52%). Metastasized lymph nodes varied in number from 18 to 52. There were three male and six female patients with a mean age of 57. This is a totally reversed sex ratio compared to the usual gastric cancer or EGC. Among the total of 9 EGC patients, there were 5 who had superficial spreading carcinomas with surface areas larger than $25\;cm^2$. This is a significantly higher proportion compared to the general EGC population. When we compared the tumor size according to the LN status, the N3 group was definitely larger than the other groups. 78% of the pT1N3 cases showed lymphatic invasion, which is very high compared to the 4.7% in general EGC cases. Among the 9 cases, 6 patients had too short a follow-up period to evaluate the correct prognosis, but there was one patient with a non-curative resection and two patients with early recurrence. Although the sample size is small and the follow-up period is short, we can expect a very poor prognosis when we consider the common prognosis of EGC that is widely known and accepted. Conclusion: From these results, we can a conclude that the risk factors for pT1N3 gastric cancer are female patients, submucosal invasion, larger tumor size, and lymphatic invasion. However rare, the existence of pT1N3 gastric cancer needs to be taken into consideration, especially during the diagnosis. Furthermore, minimally invasive treatment for EGC needs to be chosen with great precaution. Since the prognosis of pT1N3 gastric cancer is expected to be poor, aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy may be necessary. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2006;6:109-113)