Effects of a nursing intervention on subjective distress, side effects and quality of life of breast cancer patients receiving curative radiation therapy--a randomized study.
The purpose of this randomized study was to investigate whether a nursing intervention using Orem's self-care theory as a framework would affect subjective distress, side effects and quality of life as perceived by breast cancer patients receiving curative radiation therapy. The intervention consisted of five 30-min sessions once a week during the treatment period and two follow-up sessions after completion of treatment. The experimental group consisted of 67 patients, as did the control group. Measurements were collected five times: at baseline before commencement of treatment, at weeks 3 and 5 (completion of treatment) and follow-up periods of 2 weeks and 3 months. No measurable effect of the nursing intervention was found for side effects or quality of life but nursing intervention proved to have a positive effect in minimizing stress reactions (p = < 0.05). It is suggested that a nursing intervention should be implemented for breast cancer patients receiving curative radiation therapy.
Wengström
Y
Y
Department of Oncology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Häggmark
C
C
Strander
H
H
Forsberg
C
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects