Trajectory of Fatigue, Quality of Life and Physical Symptoms in Cancer Patients Receiving Radiotherapy.
10.4040/jkan.2003.33.5.562
- Author:
Young Hee YANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Dankook University, Korea. hanul96@dankook.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Radiotherapy;
Fatigue;
Quality of life;
Physical symptoms;
Cancer patients
- From:
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2003;33(5):562-569
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this longitudinal prospective study was to assess changes in fatigue and quality of life for a 6-week course of radiotherapy. METHOD: A descriptive and longitudinal design was used to this study. Twenty-three subjects receiving radiotherapy from a radiotherapy clinic of a general hospital completed the questionnaires. Fatigue was measured using Lee's scale(1999) and quality of life using Yang's scale(2002) weekly for 6 weeks. RESULT: Fatigue significantly increased(F=6.043, p=.000), and quality of life significantly decreased(F=3.938, p=.003) and physical symptoms also significantly increased(F=2.432, p=.039) during a 6-week radiotherapy. Multiple regression analysis revealed that fatigue at the first week and physical symptoms at the 6th week were the significant affecting variables(60.1% of the variance) on fatigue. And 63.2% of the variance in quality of life was explained by quality of life and fatigue at the first week and body weight change for 6 weeks radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, the fatigue and quality of life at the beginning time of radiotherapy have a lasting impact throughout the course of treatment. It suggests that nurses provide patients with information about the occurrence of fatigue during radiotherapy and the practical methods of intervening physical symptoms.
