title: Effects of Home Nursing Intervention on the Quality of Life of Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma after Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of home nursing intervention on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy and chemotherapy are unclear. According to the characteristics of nursing home patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we should continuously improve the nursing plan and improve the quality of life of patients at home.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 180 patients at home with NPC after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The patients were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (90 patients each). The experimental group featured intervention with an NPC home nursing plan, while the control group was given routine discharge and outpatient review. Nursing intervention for patients was mainly achieved by regular telephone follow-up and home visits. We use the quality of life scale (QOL-C30), anxiety scale (SAS) and depression scale (SDS) to evaluate these patients before intervention, and during follow-up at 1 month and 3 months after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall health and quality of life were significantly different between the groups (p<0.05), Emotional function score was significantly higher after intervention (p<0.05), as were cognitive function and social function scores after 3 months of intervention (p<0.05). Scores of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite and constipation were also significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). Rates of anxiety and depression after 3 months of intervention were 11.1%, 22.2% and 34.4%, 53.3%, the differences being significant (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NPC home nursing plan could effectively improve overall quality of life, cognitive function, social function (after 3 months) of patients, but improvement regarding body function is not suggested. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite, constipation were clearly improved. We should further pursue a personalized, comprehensive measurements for nursing interventions and try to improve the quality of life of NPC patients at home.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient of Oncology Nursing, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, China E-mail : 846122032@qq.com.
authors.forename: Ru-Chun
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ai-Feng
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Weng-Lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xin-En
authors.initials: XE
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ai-Jun
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D003071:Cognition; D003248:Constipation / Q000451:nursing; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004644:Emotions; D005221:Fatigue / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D009325:Nausea / Q000451:nursing; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014839:Vomiting / Q000451:nursing; D055815:Young Adult