Current Issue : April-June Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 5 Articles
Background/Objectives: Obesity is a common comorbidity but there remains limited understanding on how higher obesity rates in rural areas may impact physical function decline and other health domains among cancer patients. This study addresses this gap by examining the association between body mass index (BMI) and physical function among a cohort of rural advanced cancer patients. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis uses baseline data from the Nurse AMIE trial (NCT04673019). Individuals were categorized as ‘normal weight’ (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2), ‘overweight’ (BMI > 25 to 30 kg/m2), and ‘obese’ (BMI > 30 kg/m2). Objective physical function was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and subjective physical function and health domains were measured using surveys (PROMIS; SF-36). Results: Of 348 patients included, 88 (25.3%) were classified as ‘normal weight’, 107 (30.7%) as ‘overweight’, and 153 (44.0%) as ‘obese’. Average age was 64.8 years (SD = 12.2), 46% (n = 160) were female, 95% were white (n = 331), and 52% (n = 182) were Stage 4. Total SPPB scores revealed poorer functioning with higher BMI (M ± SD: BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2: 9.1 ± 2.3; BMI > 25–30 kg/m2: 8.3 ± 3.1; BMI > 30 kg/m2: 8.1 ± 2.8; p = 0.04). Similarly, scores from the SF-36 revealed subjective physical function was lower with higher BMI (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2: 57.9 ± 29.1; BMI > 25–30 kg/m2: 53.7 ± 28.0; BMI > 30 kg/m2: 47.6 ± 27.6; p = 0.004). Participants reported lower levels of energy and greater fatigue with higher BMI (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2: 49.8 ± 26.1; BMI > 25–30 kg/m2: 45.1 ± 24.6; BMI > 30 kg/m2: 40.7 ± 22.6; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Higher BMI is associated with poorer physical function and increased fatigue among rural advanced cancer patients, highlighting the need for supportive care related to physical function in this at-risk group....
Objective: To investigate the status and influencing factors of self-compassion in oncology nurses. Methods: From November to December 2024, 263 oncology nurses from 6 Grade A hospitals in Guangdong Province were selected as the research objects by convenience sampling. The general information questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2nd Edition, and Perceived Organizational Support Scale were used for online questionnaire survey. Results: The total score of self-compassion Scale for Oncology nurses was 85.82 ± 12.93, which was in the upper middle level. The results of multivariate analysis showed that marital status, psychological flexibility and organizational support were the influencing factors of self-compassion of oncology nurses. Conclusions: The self-compassion level of oncology nurses is above the medium level. It is suggested that nursing managers focus on the psychological flexibility of oncology nurses and strengthen the internal psychological efficacy of nurses through institutional guarantee, resource allocation and emotional identification, so as to form an “individual-organization” linkage health promotion model and enhance the self-compassion level of nurses....
Introduction: Palliative needs assessment and referral to advanced palliative care resources are fundamental aspects of complex chronic patients’ care. Primary care Nurse Case Managers play a key role in the care of these patients. Objective: We aimed to describe the experiences of primary care Nurse Case Managers in palliative care needs identification and complex chronic patients’ referral to advanced palliative care resources. Method: This is a qualitative descriptive study with a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with primary care Nurse Case Managers. A thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software. Results: 20 nurses participated, 16 of whom were women, with a mean age of 52.3 years and an average of 15.9 years of experience in primary care. Regarding “Palliative care Needs Assessment”, four sub-themes have been identified: “What do you understand?”, “How do you assess?”, “Difficulties” and “Alternatives” to current palliative care needs assessment. For the “Palliative Care Referral” theme four sub-themes have been identified: “Criteria”, “Tools”, “Difficulties” and “Alternatives” for referral. Discussion: Palliative needs are identified in patients with incurable diseases when there are no curative treatment options and when quality of life must be prioritized. Symptoms, general condition, progression, and comorbidity are assessed. Open interviews and home visits are essential for assessing the social and family context and the home resources available. Barriers identified include the conspiracy of silence, limited training in non-oncological palliative care, and a lack of staff and caregiver’s understanding of illness situation. The presence of difficult symptoms and a limited life expectancy were identified as key criteria for referral to palliative care. The physician’s assessment, the family’s request, and consultation with specialized teams play a key role in prognosis. Barriers include late referrals, lack of a palliative background, inequity in access to resources, and low visibility of the palliative care needs of non-cancer patients. Conclusions: Significant challenges remain in identifying palliative needs and referral to specialized resources, highlighting the need to optimize resources, strengthen professional training, and improve coordination between levels of care to ensure quality palliative care....
Background/Objectives: Older patients with cancer are predisposed to malnutrition, contributing to adverse postoperative outcomes, high complication rates, and poor prognosis, warranting dietary support from nurses. Practices and factors related to such support remain unexplored. We examined factors associated with discharge-oriented dietary support for older patients with cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved registered nurses working in wards and was conducted using a self-report questionnaire between September 2024 and February 2025 at two regional core cancer Japanese hospitals. The survey included the Ward Nurses’ Discharge-Oriented Dietary Support Scale for Older Adult Patients (NDODSS), items assessing nurses’ perceived difficulty with cancer care, patient assessment, interprofessional collaboration, and their interest in, perceived importance of, and difficulty with dietary support. Data were analyzed using t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Overall, 134 nurses, with an average of 6.8 years of cancer nursing experience, were included. The total mean scores for NDODSS, assessment of healthy eating behavior, adjustment of the living environment, and continual frailty assessment were 68.6 (11.8), 28.4 (4.9), 18.2 (4.7), and 22.0 (4.2), respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that NDODSS was significantly associated with difficulty providing dietary support (β = −0.127, p = 0.043), physical assessment of cancer patients (β = 0.282, p < 0.001), social assessment (β = 0.207, p = 0.003), and consultation with other professionals (β = 0.205, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Dietary support for older patients with cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, including cancer symptom assessment, social factor evaluation and sharing dietary support-related challenges....
Background: Radiation therapy for breast cancer frequently leads to side effects such as fatigue, skin reactions, pain, lymphedema, sleep disturbances, and psychological distress. Nursing interventions, including evidence-based care, targeted skin management, education, and psychological support, are effective in reducing radiation therapy side effects and improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of nursing interventions for breast cancer patients in reducing radiotherapy-related side effects. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Oncology, King Salman Armed Forces Hospital in the North Western region of Saudi Arabia. A total of 60 patients were included in the study. Patient selection was based on diagnosed patients with breast cancer who were planned to undergo radiotherapy. Nursing interventions were delivered through structured protocols targeting common side effects. These included patient education on evidence-based skin care regimens, counseling on fatigue management strategies, as well as early detection and management of lymphedema through education on arm care, compression therapy, and referral to physiotherapy when indicated. Fatigue was measured using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and skin-related quality of life was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). All data were entered into SPSS version 25 for analysis. Results: In this study, the most commonly reported side effects among breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy were skin irritation (93.3%), fatigue (91.6%), and lymphedema (53.3%). In this study, skin care interventions were effective in 62.8% of patients, fatigue management strategies in 66.7%, and for lymphedema in 60.9%, whereas psychological support interventions had the highest effectiveness, benefiting 75% of patients. A very weak negative correlation was seen between the DLQI score and the BFI score. Both these scores showed no significant difference in terms of age, stage of breast cancer, and duration of radiotherapy. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the most frequent side effects experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy were skin irritation, followed by fatigue and lymphedema. Nursing interventions showed moderate to high effectiveness, particularly in addressing psychological symptoms, fatigue, skin issues, and lymphedema. However, shortcomings such as inadequate training, lack of standardized care protocols, and insufficient patient education and follow-up were observed....
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