title: The experience of fatigue in Turkish patients receiving chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the experience of fatigue in Turkish patients receiving chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient unit in a large university hospital in Ankara, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 patients randomly chosen from those who were undergoing chemotherapy at the outpatient unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using a personal information form developed by the investigator and a visual analog scale for fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures taken by patients to cope with fatigue, fatigue experienced by individuals affecting their daily activities, age and gender, disease and treatment factors, and symptoms related to the chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients (86%) experienced fatigue, and 73% stated that they coped with fatigue by decreasing their activities and resting more. Age was not a statistically significant factor affecting the level of fatigue, but gender was found to have an effect. Length of illness, number of chemotherapy courses, and the patients' symptoms affected level of fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients experienced fatigue, and most of the measures used to cope with fatigue were not effective. Fatigue affected patients' daily activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A need exists for more and better interventions to help patients cope with chemotherapy-related fatigue.
authors.affiliation: The Nursing Department, The Mersin University School of Health Science, Mersin, Turkey. sabire00@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sabire
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yurtsever
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents