title: Effects of a self-care education program on quality of life of patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrectomy affects different aspects of functionality and impacts on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with gastric cancer. The importance of appropriate assessment of QoL in cancer patients is well established, yet strategies that help improve this important patient outcome are relatively scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of a brief self-care education program to improve QoL of gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a randomized controlled trial, 59 patients with gastric cancer and candidate for gastrectomy were randomly assigned either to an intervention group (n = 31) to participate in a brief self-care education program or to a usual-care group (n = 28). Data were collected on patient demographics, and QoL was measured by the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-STO22 at baseline and 1 month after gastrectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant between-group differences in any subscales of the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-STO22. However, participants in the brief self-care education program showed significant improvements from baseline in the global health status-QoL scale (t = 2.243, 𝘗 < .05), experience of pain (t = 2.508, 𝘗 < .05), constipation (t = 2.773, 𝘗 < .05), and the experience of dysphagia at the follow-up assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is likely to be underpowered to show differences between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A brief self-care education program was not sufficient to significantly improve the quality of life patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Arefeh
authors: A
authors: Davoodi
authors: Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Gholizadeh
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. rezafar81@hotmail.com.
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Rezazadeh
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Sheikalipour
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Sima
authors: S
authors: Lakdizaji
authors: Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Kazem
authors: K
authors: Mirinajad
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Azad
authors: A
authors: Rahmani
keywords: gastrectomy; gastric cancer; quality of life; self-care education