PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was conducted to identify the impact of Symptom Severity and Symptom Interference on Sleep Disturbance among cancer patients. METHODS: This study was conducted from October 8th to October 25th, 2012. One hundred eight cancer patients were recruited from S city in Korea. The instruments used in this study were the Symptom Severity, Symptom Interference and the Sleep Disturbance scales for patients with cancer. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. RESULTS: The Sleep Disturbance for cancer patients showed a significant relationship with Symptom Interference and cancer stage. The significant factors influencing Sleep Disturbance were Symptom Severity and Symptom Interference. They explained 40.5% of the variance in stage IV. CONCLUSION: Patients with cancer experienced Symptom Severity and Symptom Interference which led to a negative effect on Sleep Disturbance. The results suggest that intervention programs to reduce Symptom Severity, Symptom Interference could improve Sleep Disturbance for cancer patients.
Humans ; Korea ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: This descriptive study aimed to compare the perception of the acceptable foods for the neutropenic diet between nurses and patients by food type. METHODS: The participants were 225 nurses working at chemotherapy wards and 71 patients in chemotherapy treatment. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire from January 2 to February 24, 2012, and analyzed with SPSS 12.0 program using descriptive statistics and the chi2-test. RESULTS: Eighty-eight point eight percent of nurses and 76.1% of cancer patients thought the patients needed the neutropenic diets. The most important decisional criteria to determine dietary restriction was neutrophil count for nurses and food type for patients. The two groups showed significantly different allowance to raw fruits and raw vegetables, sterilized canned juice, fried vegetables, yogurt, uncooked tofu, salted fish, cooked fish, cooked shellfish, uncooked grain powder, jellified food, home-made bread/cookies, nuts including peanuts, instant coffee or tea and tea brewed. In general, patients were more permissive about the neutropenic diet than nurses. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to consider patients' preference as well as nurses' professional knowledge and publish standardized clinical diet guidelines for neutropenic patients with collaboration between nurses and patient representatives.
Arachis ; Edible Grain ; Coffee ; Cooperative Behavior ; Diet* ; Drug Therapy ; Fruit ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; Neutrophils ; Nuts ; Patient Advocacy ; Shellfish ; Soy Foods ; Tea ; Vegetables ; Yogurt

PURPOSE: Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) requires frame positioning because the treatment target should be as close as possible to the center of the frame. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of pin-fixing (PFP) and removal pain (PRP), and the associated factors with the pain undergoing GKR. METHODS: A total of 116 patients who underwent GKR for their brain tumor were recruited from C University hospital located in H city, J province. The level of pain was measured by the 10 cm VAS. RESULTS: The level of PFP and PRP were 6.36 and 3.26 points, respectively. Step-wise multiple regressions found that the group who have not perceived numbness after applying 5% EMLA cream was the highest associated factor with PFP, following the time from lidocaine injection to pin-fixation, which explained 21% of total variance of the level of PFP. On the other hand, a group who did not perceive numbness after applying 10% lidocaine spray was the highest factor with PRP, among female patients, which explained 27% of total variance of the level of PRP. CONCLUSION: Both of PFP and PRP of the stereotactic frame were moderate so that nurses should consider diverse strategies to reduce pain among patients undergoing gamma knife radiosurgery.
Brain Neoplasms ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Lidocaine ; Precipitating Factors ; Radiosurgery*

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate relationships among distress, depression, anxiety, and spiritual needs of hospitalized patients with stomach cancer. METHODS: The participants were 120 in-patients with stomach cancer for surgery or chemotherapy at C University in Seoul from December 2010 to February 2011. To measure emotional and spiritual states was used Distress management version 1 (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, NCCN), the Hospital anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Spiritual Needs Scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0, specifically descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Distress showed positive correlations with anxiety (r=.49, p<.001), and depression (r=.44, p<.001). Anxiety showed positive correlations with depression (r=.59, p<.001). While, depression showed negative correlations with spiritual needs (r=-.25, p<.001). CONCLUSION: This study's findings show that hospitalized patients with stomach cancer experienced distress, anxiety, depression and high spiritual needs. Distress, anxiety, and depression of patients with stomach cancer were positively correlated with each other. While the level of depression was negatively correlated with the level of spiritual needs, indicating the higher the level of depression, the lower the spiritual needs. Therefore, nursing interventions for emotional and spiritual support need to be developed for stomach cancer patients.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Nursing ; Seoul ; Spirituality ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study was done to clarify the effects of foot reflexology on peripheral neuropathy, symptom distress, anxiety and depression in cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was employed. Changes in the variables were evaluated to test the effects of foot reflexology. Participants were cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin (experimental group 14 and control group 17). Peripheral neuropathy, symptom distress, anxiety and depression were measured before and after reflexology. Data were collected from October, 2010 to April, 2011. chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The experimental group who received foot reflexology experienced less peripheral neuropathy and symptom distress than the control group. There was no difference in anxiety and depression between the experimental and control group. CONCLUSION: The foot reflexology program adopted in this study was found to be an effective method to reduce peripheral neuropathy and symptom distress. We recommend foot reflexology for patients with chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy ; Foot* ; Humans ; Massage* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases*

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the symptom severity, interference and their psychological predictors in thyroid cancer patients hospitalized for radioactive iodine administration. METHODS: One hundred seventy-seven thyroid cancer patients admitted to the isolation room for Iodine (I131) therapy were recruited. Subjects were asked to complete the questionnaire on core symptoms, thyroid cancer symptoms, interference, depression and state anxiety in the evening after receiving radioactive iodine therapy. Data was analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression with SPSS vs. 19. RESULTS: Lack of appetite, drowsiness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and nausea were the 5 most core symptoms. More than 20% of patients experienced moderate to severe thyroid cancer symptoms including feeling cold, hoarseness, swallowing difficulty, and feeling hot. More than 30% of subjects experienced moderate to severe interferences in mood, general activity, and 22% in walking. Depression and state anxiety were identified as predictors of core symptoms, thyroid symptom severity and interference. CONCLUSION: Nursing interventions to reduce the symptom severity and interference need to be developed by considering thyroid cancer patients' depression and anxiety when hospitalized in the isolation room for radioactive iodine administration.
Anxiety* ; Appetite ; Deglutition ; Depression* ; Fatigue ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Iodine* ; Nausea ; Nursing ; Sleep Stages ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Walking

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to find the levels of distress and quality of life of breast cancer survivors in Korea and to identify relationship between distress and quality of life. METHODS: The data were collected from 122 breast cancer survivors in 2009. To measure the distress and quality of life, the 'Distress Thermometer and Problem List'and the 'Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast'were used respectively. RESULTS: The mean score of distress was 4.77 (+/-2.35) and 63.1% of the subjects reported a distress score of 4 or more, indicating a clinically significant level of distress. Among these, the most frequently reported problem area was emotion, followed by family. The mean score of the quality of life was 88.22 (+/-18.41), signifying 6.13 out of 10. The levels of distress and the quality of life were negatively correlated (r=-.38, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that distress is prevalent in Korean breast cancer survivors and the distress is related negatively with their quality of life. Thus oncology professionals continuously need to assess distress of breast cancer survivors and to provide appropriate psychosocial interventions to improve their quality of life.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality of Life* ; Stress, Psychological ; Survivors* ; Thermometers

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in psychosocial adjustment between younger (age< or =50) and older (age>50) breast cancer survivors, and to explore the role of sociodemographic and disease-related variables in predicting psychosocial adjustment between younger and older breast cancer survivors. METHODS: A total of 262 women participated in this study. A self-reported questionnaire, the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self Report Korean version (PAIS-SR Korean version), was used. Data were analyzed with SAS/WIN 9.1 for descriptive statistics using the t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The psychosocial adjustment score of younger breast cancer survivors was significantly higher than that of older breast cancer survivors. Significant predictors influencing psychosocial adjustment in younger breast cancer survivors were marital state, menopausal cause, immune therapy, and self-help group, and these predictors account for 48% of the variance in psychosocial adjustment. Significant predictors influencing psychosocial adjustment in older breast cancer survivors were stage of cancer, monthly income, marital state, and menopausal cause. These predictors accounted for 35% of the variance in psychosocial adjustment. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate the importance of counseling and educational programs to improve the psychosocial adjustment according to breast cancer survivors' age.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Counseling ; Female ; Humans ; Self-Help Groups ; Survivors*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing practices of health behavior for cancer prevention in university students. METHODS: Data were collected by questionnaires from 332 university students in J city. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Scheffes test, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed with SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: The mean score of practices of health behavior for cancer prevention was 3.18+/-.41. Significant factors that affect practices of health behavior for cancer prevention in university students were self-efficacy, perceived benefits, health status, activity related affect, exercise, family's economic status, and the fear of cancer. These variables explained 31.7% of practices of health behavior for cancer prevention. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the level of practices of health behavior is not sufficient for cancer prevention among university students. Therefore it is necessary to develop a tailored education program to improve the practices of health behavior for cancer prevention in university students. It is also suggested that the education be focused on self-efficacy, perceived benefits and activity related affect.
Education ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of posttraumatic growth and meaning in life on health promotion behavior in cancer patients. METHODS: The participants were 124 cancer patients who were treated at a general hospital in Pusan. Data were collected for posttraumatic growth, meaning in life, and health promotion behavior. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: The mean scores were health promotion behavior 2.72+/-0.47, posttraumatic growth 3.38+/-0.89, and meaning in life 3.29+/-0.59. The scores of health promotion behavior were significantly different by gender, perceived economic status, and economic difficulties due to diagnosis. Health promotion behavior had a significant correlation with posttraumatic growth and meaning in life. In multiple regression analysis, meaning in life and posttraumatic growth accounted for 26.0% of health promotion behavior. CONCLUSION: Posttraumatic growth and meaning in life were important factors that could be used to improve the health promotion behavior of cancer patients.
Busan ; Diagnosis ; Health Promotion* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans