PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the knowledge and learning needs of chemotherapy in gynecological cancer patients. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 103 gynecological cancer patients receiving chemotherapy from April 2005 to August 2005. Data was collected using a questionnaire about knowledge and learning needs of chemotherapy. The data was analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient using SAS. RESULT: Average scores of knowledge and learning needs of general treatment and care were 2.74, and 3.30 respectively. Average score of knowledge and learning needs of chemotherapy were 2.54, and 3.23 respectively. Learning needs of general treatment and care and of chemotherapy were significantly different in relation to marital status, educational level, family support, the operation, and the amount of chemotherapy received. Items with the highest level of learning needs were the symptoms of recurring illness of general treatment, and minimizing side effects of chemotherapy. There were a negative correlation between knowledge and learning needs on general treatment and a positive correlation between knowledge and learning needs on chemothearpy but there were not significant statistically. CONCLUSION: The level of learning needs related to cancer treatment was high, whereas, that of knowledge was low. Therefore, when designing an educational program for gynecological cancer patients, understanding of learning needs is necessary. Also, consideration of a patient's characteristics, and a systematic and detailed educational program should be provided.
Adult ; Aged ; Demography ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female/*drug therapy/psychology ; Humans ; *Knowledge ; *Learning ; Middle Aged ; Needs Assessment ; *Patient Education as Topic ; Program Development/standards ; Questionnaires ; Translating

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of lifestyle intervention on the development of fatigue, nutritional status and quality of life of patients with gynecologic cancer. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 49 patients with gynecologic cancer. They were assigned to the experiment group (n=24) or the control group (n=25). The lifestyle intervention for this study consisted of physical activity, nutritional education, telephone call counseling, health counseling, monitoring for lifestyle, and affective support based on Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior and was implemented for six weeks. RESULTS: Significant group differences were found for fatigue (p =.037), nutritional status (p =.034) and social/family well-being (p =.035) in these patients with gynecologic cancer. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that this lifestyle intervention is effective in lessening fatigue, and improving nutritional status and social/family well-being. Therefore, nurses in hospitals should develop strategies to expand and provide lifestyle interventions for patients with cancer.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; *Fatigue ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female/drug therapy/*psychology ; Health Behavior ; Health Education ; Humans ; *Life Style ; Middle Aged ; *Nutritional Status ; Proportional Hazards Models ; *Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires