Current Issue : October - December Volume : 2015 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 7 Articles
Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is most adversely affected in cancer patients between diagnosis\nand the end of chemotherapy. The aim of the Complementary Nursing in Gynecologic Oncology (CONGO) study is\nto assess the effectiveness of a complex nursing care intervention of CAM to increase HRQoL in cancer patients\nundergoing chemotherapy.\nMethods/design: CONGO is a prospective partially randomized patient preference (PRPP) trial including adult\nwomen diagnosed with breast and gynecologic cancer starting a new chemotherapy regimen. Patients without\nstrong preferences for CAM will be randomized to usual nursing care or complex nursing care; those patients with\nstrong preferences will be allowed their choice. The intervention consists of three interacting and intertwined elements:\nCAM nursing intervention packet, counseling on CAM using a resource-oriented approach and evidence-based\ninformational material on CAM.\nPrimary outcome data on participants� HRQoL will be collected from baseline until the end of treatment and long-term\nfollow-up using the EORTC-QLQ-C30. Secondary outcomes include nausea, fatigue, pain, anxiety/depression,\nsocial support, self-efficacy, patient competence, spiritual wellbeing, and satisfaction with care. Accompanying\nresearch on economic outcomes as well as a mixed-methods process evaluation will be conducted.\nA total of 590 patients (236 patients in the randomized part of the study and 354 patients in the observational part of\nthe study) will be recruited in the two outpatient clinics. The first analysis step will be the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis\nof the randomized part of the trial. A linear mixed model will be used to compare the continuous primary endpoint\nbetween the intervention and control arm of the randomized group. The observational part of the trial will be analyzed\ndescriptively. External validity will be assessed by comparing randomized with nonrandomized patients Discussion: Cancer patients are increasingly using CAM as supportive cancer care, however, a patient-centered\nmodel of care that includes CAM for the patient during chemotherapy still needs to be evaluated. This protocol has\nbeen designed to test if the effects of the intervention go beyond potential benefits in quality-of-life outcomes....
Aim\nTo explore the role of the Australian breast care nurse in the provision of information\nand support to women with breast cancer, with a focus on the differences\nexperienced depending on geographic work context.\nDesign\nA cross-sectional study.\nMethods\nThis study conducted in 2013, involved surveying BCNs currently working in\nAustralia, using a newly developed self-report online survey.\nResults\nFifty breast care nurses completed the survey, 40% from major cities, 42% from\ninner regional Australia and 18% from outer regional, remote and very remote\nAustralia. Patterns of service indicated higher caseloads in urban areas, with\nfewer kilometres served. Breast care nurses in outer regional, remote and very\nremote areas were less likely to work in multi-disciplinary teams and more\nlikely to spend longer consulting with patients. Breast care nurses reported they\nundertook roles matching the competency standards related to the provision of\neducation, information and support; however, there were barriers to fulfilling\ncompetencies including knowledge based limitations, time constraints and\nservicing large geographical areas.\nConclusions\nThis was the first Australian study to describe the role of the breast care nurse\nnationally and the first study to investigate breast care nurses perceived ability\nto meet a selection of the Australian Specialist Breast Nurse Competency Standards.\nImportant differences were found according to the geographical location\nof breast care nurses....
Purpose: Evidence that lifestyle factors are associated with better outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC)\nsurvivors highlights the need for behaviour change interventions. This study examined feasibility and\nacceptability, and provided an indication of behavioural impact, of a telephone-based, multimodal health\nbehaviour intervention for CRC survivors.\nMethod: Participants were recruited from five London hospitals. Patients (n �¼ 29) who had recently\ncompleted treatment for CRC participated in a 12 week intervention. Behavioural goals were to increase\nphysical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, and reduce consumption of red/processed\nmeat and alcohol. Self-report measures of PA and diet were completed in all patients, supplemented by\nobjective measures in a sub-set.\nResults: Uptake of the study when patients were approached by a researcher was high (72%), compared\nwith 27% contacted by letter. Methods for identifying eligible patients were not optimal. Study\ncompletion rate was high (79%), and completers evaluated the intervention favourably. Significant improvements\nwere observed in objectively-measured activity (�¾70 min/week; p �¼ .004). Gains were seen\nin diet: �¾3 F&V portions a day (p < .001), 147 g of red meat a week (p �¼ .013), 0.83 portions of\nprocessed meat a week (p �¼ .002). Changes in serum vitamin levels were not statistically significant, but\nthe small sample size provides limited power. Clinically meaningful improvement in quality of life\n(p < .001) was observed.\nConclusion: An intervention combining print materials and telephone consultations was feasible and\nacceptable, and associated with improvements in PA, diet and quality of life....
Purpose: Nurses play a major role in providing support to individual patients with long term illnesses. However, it is notable that the effectiveness of nurses providing care in improving the health outcomes on patients with chronic diseases is scarce. The purpose of this review is to present the findings and appraisal of the evidences for Nurse case management in improving health outcomes in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) or Cancer.\nMethod: A review of the literature published on Nurse case management was performed. A number of 20 literature articles were analyzed. It included studies conducted in different parts of the world between 1994 and 2014 in English. The findings of the researches were tabulated and the rates of effectiveness were analyzed.\nResults: Significantly positive results were shown in the studies which evaluate the Nurse case management with regard to health outcomes in common non-communicable diseases such as successful self-management of disease, increased functional status, mental improvement and risk reducing behaviors.\nConclusion: Overall, this review shows that the Nurse case management provided for the population with Non-communicable diseases such as DM, CHD, COPD and cancer significantly enhances the quality of life of individuals....
Background: Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, the incidence of cervical cancer is high, 35.9 per 100,000 women.\n Objective: To explore cervical cancer knowledge, preventive practices and associated factors among female nurses in government hospitals. \nMethods: 275 nurses participated in this cross-sectional descriptive study by responding to a structured questionnaire about knowledge and preventive practices. Statistical analysis included both bivariate and regression analysis, while controlling for possible confounders. \nResults: A little over half (60.8%) of nurses had knowledge of cervical cancer but only 21.9% reported practicing prevention of cervical cancer. Marital status and training about cervical cancer screening had a strong and positive association on knowledge; education, family history, unit of work and ever cared patient with cervical cancer were also significantly associated with knowledge of cervical cancer. Preventive practice of cervical cancer was significantly associated with younger age, work experience, being diagnosed with cervical cancer, and ever cared patient with cervical cancer and ever visited a health institution.\n Conclusion: While at least 60% of the respondents were knowledgeable but preventive practices among nurses were low. Consistent training is required on knowledge and preventive practices of cervical cancer to combat its high morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia....
The association of germline mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) and the breast cancer\nsusceptibility gene 2 (BRCA2) with the development of breast and ovarian cancers have been widely researched\nand recognised. It is known that these genes function at multiple sites in the body. Research has subsequently\nevolved into the connection of BRCA1/2 with cancers at other sites within the body. This review examines the\nassociation of BRCA1/2 germline gene mutations with prostate, pancreatic and stomach cancers. An extensive\nliterature search revealed conflicting findings regarding the association of BRCA1/2 gene mutations with these\ncancers. Most studies suggest that there is an association between BRCA1/2 mutations and carcinoma of the\nprostate, pancreas and stomach, but some reports propose that such a correlation may be due to factors other\nthan possessing a mutated BRCA1/2 gene, and other associations may be revealed as further epidemiological\ninformation becomes available. The review concludes that as more knowledge arises about the mechanisms of\nBRCA1/2 gene mutations, it should pave the way for future screening programmes to be applied effectively....
Background: The aim was to explore patients� experiences of information and their information needs after\ndischarge for colorectal cancer surgery.\nMethods: Thirty one interviews were performed with sixteen patients during the first seven weeks at home after\ndischarge. Patients were included from three hospitals in the south of Sweden, two of which used an enhanced\nrecovery programme.\nResults: Trying to regain control in life by using information was the overall theme emerging from the interviews.\nPatients experienced the bodily changes after surgery and the emotional impact of the cancer disease, and these\ncombined experiences seriou/sly affected their ability to manage their daily lives. They both needed, and were in\nsearch of, information to increase participation in their own cancer trajectory and to facilitate the regaining of some\nmeasure of control in their lives. Waiting for different kinds of information increased the anguish and fear in the\nface of an unknown future.\nConclusions: This study showed that receiving information was vital when patients tried to regain control in life\nafter colorectal cancer surgery. The information was necessary in order to facilitate and manage the transition from\nhospital to home, and the need varied between different transitions. Patients needed more information to manage\nthe daily life at home, but also to understand what the cancer disease really meant to them. This suggests a need\nfor patients to participate more actively in the information and the discharge planning....
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