Evaluation of Quality of Life and Health Care Needs in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Symptoms are decisive in the quality of life of patients. Progression of the underlying disease leads to many physical and psychological symptoms in patients. Increases in these symptoms often prevent patients from complying with treatment. Therefore, the symptoms must be recognized, evaluated, and controlled for the treatment to be effective. This study determined the unmet needs of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and the effects of these needs on the patients’ quality of life. Four hundred fifty patients were studied. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, the Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-HAQ), the Supportive Care Requirements Questionnaire (DBGÖ), and the FACT-G (v4) Quality of Life Scale. The areas in which patients needed the most support were pain, weakness/fatigue, bad feelings, sadness, mood swings, difficulty in doing home-related tasks, fear of the cancer spreading, inability to control the situation, worries about the future, fear of death, worries about upsetting relatives, and being in need of information regarding their sexual lives. The results showed that for patients who had higher support requirements, higher incidences of symptoms led to a reduced quality of life. Consequently, frequently evaluating these symptoms to meet the needs identified, frequently measuring the quality and efficiency of care and advising these patients on their needs is recommended. © 2019, American Association for Cancer Education

Evaluation of self-management education for asthmatic patients

Self-management of asthma, achieved through an effective educational program for asthmatic patients, is very important in facilitating adaptation to illness and positive response to treatment. An effective self-management plan helps patients to gain information about and skills in life style modifications, self-monitoring, and environmental control. The study, both descriptive and analytic, was planned as a means to evaluate the need of asthmatic patients for self-management education and to design supportive educational programs. The study group consisted of 42 adult patients who were chosen randomly from among patients treated in the Chest Diseases Department of the Medical Faculty of Istanbul University. The following evaluation tools were used: St. George Respiratory Questionnaire, a questionnaire designed by the research team, and patients' asthma diaries. The survey form designed by the research team included questions about demographic characteristics, asthma triggering factors, and morbidity factors. An asthma educational program, consisting of one session that lasted for 120 minutes, was implemented by doctors and nurses in cooperation and, 2 months later, patients were followed up. After completion of the educational program, it was found that patients related their health during the last month and the extent to which they drew benefits from their treatment with higher scores, the result clearly stating that the impact of asthma on their lives has experienced a decrease. The educational program was thus implemental in improving the quality of patients' lives. Results have finally shown that our educational program can be used as a model by other health care centers in our country

Exploring sexual problems among patients with multiple sclerosis

WOS: 000291400400012PubMed ID: 21649605

Quality of life during chemotherapy and satisfaction with nursing care in Turkish breast cancer patients

This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate quality of life for breast cancer patients (n = 105) undergoing chemotherapy, and to assess their satisfaction with nursing care. It also explored relationships between quality of life, satisfaction with nursing care, and demographic and disease-related characteristics. Ethics approval for this study was provided. The research was carried out between October 2011 and June 2012. Quality of life and satisfaction with nursing care were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Scale, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale. We found that emotional well-being was the area most negatively affected, with patients reporting being afraid of death, feeling sad and being worried about their health. Patients were overall quite satisfied with the nursing care they received at the hospital. We found a positive correlation between total scores on the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale and social and family well-being scores. Breast cancer patients have fears and concerns about their health and need support during chemotherapy for coping with negative changes in their emotional well-being, physical and functional well-being

Health-related quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease

PubMed ID: 18090192BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: In recent years, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been increasingly used as an indicator of health outcome. The aims of the study were to compare the HRQoL of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to patients without CAD and also to determine the HRQoL of patients with CAD and the factors affecting their quality of life. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with CAD who attend the outpatients' clinic in the Cardiology Department at Trakya University's Medicine Faculty Hospital agreed to be interviewed. One hundred patients with CAD and 100 people serving as patients without CAD were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients with CAD and patients without CAD were matched by age, sex, marital status, and income. Health-related quality of life was measured with the generic HRQoL instrument. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: CAD patients' HRQoL scores differed significantly from patients without CAD. Compared to patients without CAD, the HRQoL of patients with CAD was lower in the dimensions of mobility (P < .001), hearing (P = .022), breathing (P < .001), elimination (P = .035), usual activities (P < .001), mental function (P = .004), discomfort and symptoms (P = .018), vitality (P = .006), sexual activity (P < .001), and total score (P < .001). Patients with CAD had lower HRQoL scores than patients without CAD. In patients with CAD, age and sex independently affected the HRQoL. Older patients and women had worse HRQoL. Coronary artery disease negatively affects HRQoL. It is thought that interventions to increase patients' quality of life may improve their HRQoL. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc

Quality of life in people with epilepsy in Sivas, Turkey

Purpose: In light of the issues associated with the quality of life in people with epilepsy that have been widely reported, this study examined these issues within a Turkey cultural context. The contributing factors to the level of QOL in Turkey where public perception toward epilepsy is relatively unfavorable, may be different from those of other countries