Differences in self-reported attentional fatigue between patients with breast and prostate cancer at the initiation of radiation therapy.
BACKGROUND
Attentional fatigue is experienced as a decreased ability to concentrate, engage in purposeful activity, and maintain social relationships when there are competing demands on attention. Breast and prostate cancer are the 2 most common cancers in women and men, respectively. Most previous studies on self-reported attentional fatigue evaluated patients with breast cancer.


OBJECTIVE
The objectives of the study were to determine if self-reported attentional fatigue differed in patients with breast cancer and prostate cancer before radiation therapy (RT) and to determine the relationships between attentional fatigue and other symptoms in these 2 groups.


METHODS
Patients (n = 155) completed questionnaires before RT. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and analysis of covariance were used for data analyses.


RESULTS
After controlling for age, patients with breast cancer reported significantly higher levels of attentional fatigue. In both groups, more attentional fatigue correlated significantly with more anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and physical fatigue. These correlations were stronger for patients with breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study is the first to identify differences in self-reported attentional fatigue between these 2 groups before RT. Additional research is warranted to determine factors that contribute to these differences, as well as mechanisms that underlie the development of attentional fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should consider the capacity of their patients to direct attention when learning about RT and other treatments. It is important to simplify confusing healthcare terminology and reinforce teaching that is most important both verbally and in writing. Appropriate interventions for anxiety and depression may decrease attentional fatigue in these patients.
School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143-0610, USA.
John D
JD
Merriman
Marylin
M
Dodd
Kathryn
K
Lee
Steven M
SM
Paul
Bruce A
BA
Cooper
Bradley E
BE
Aouizerat
Patrick S
PS
Swift
William
W
Wara
Laura
L
Dunn
Christine
C
Miaskowski
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D001288:Attention; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
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