title: A Survey of the Status of Awareness of Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients in Busan-Gyeongnam, Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To support the establishment of lymphedema education plans and the actual practice of education by investigating the current lymphedema awareness status of Korean breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional population survey was conducted in 116 breast cancer patients in the Busan-Gyeongnam area. The survey included questions regarding demographic characteristics, breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) risk factors, and characteristics and treatments of the disease. Some of the items were scored to determine the level of awareness. The items that affect the awareness of lymphedema were investigated by statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one of the 116 patients answered that they had heard of lymphedema, and 30 of them (25.86%) had received explanations about the possibility of lymphedema before surgery. Only 20 patients (17.25%) knew that lymphedema is not a completely curable disease, 24 patients (20.68%) thought that lymphedema does not require any treatment, and only 56 patients (48.27%) knew that lymphedema is treated in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. The main factors that affected patients' awareness of lymphedema were their age, chemotherapy, duration of breast cancer, and lymphedema treatment history.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of survey participants who were breast cancer patients either lacked awareness of BCRL or had false ideas about it, indicating the inadequate level of education provided for lymphedema. In the case of breast cancer diagnosis, early and continuous education for future management is essential, and the framework for the provision of education including education protocols related to age, disease duration, and lymphedema treatment is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Kyoung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hui Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ghi Chan
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Byeng Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Si-Sung
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
keywords: Breast neoplasms; Education; Lymphedema