title: Predictors of symptom distress in women with breast cancer during the first chemotherapy cycle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the extent to which personal characteristics and "person factors" predict symptom distress during the first cycle of chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, longitudinal, correlational.
  
  
  METHODS
  120 women with Stage I and II breast cancer starting their first cycle of chemotherapy were recruited from six diverse oncology settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-report questionnaires were completed prior to the beginning, the nadir, and the end of the first chemotherapy cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Personal characteristics, "person factors", and symptom distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Optimism and external locus of control predicted low symptom distress levels at the both the nadir and at the end of the first cycle. Fatigue, appearance, and insomnia caused the greatest distress with higher symptom distress scores reported at the nadir with a mean item score of 1.98 on a five-point Likert scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women who maintained a positive outlook, and trusted their health care providers experienced lower levels of symptom distress. Findings suggest that most women experienced some symptom distress, particularly during the middle of the first cycle of chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA. boehmke@buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Marcia M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Boehmke
authors.forename: Jean K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D009518:New York; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents