"Caregiver Strain Index" Validity and Reliability In Turkish Society

Objective: The Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) made up of 13 items was developed by Robinson (1983) and assesses the subjective care load of the caregiver. This study was conducted to evaluate its validity and reliability for Turkish society. Design: a cross-sectional descriptive study. Participants: 132 family members providing care for cancer patients Intervention: CSI was adopted for Turkey and administered twice via face-to-face interviews to 132 family members providing care for cancer patients from the Day Patient Unit of Ege University hospital. The content validity of the "Caregiver Strain Index" Kendall analysis was used while Pearson's moment Correlation Coefficient was applied for the test reset reliability of the scale and Cronbach's Alpha Interpretation statistical analysis tests for internal consistency and rotated factor loading of items of the scale. Results: Validity of the index was found to be 0.41 and test-retest reliability 0.75. While the Cronbach's alpha value of the index for first administration was 0.77, it was found to be 0.73 for the second administration. Conclusions: At the end of our study, validity and reliability of the index were established, indicating utility in studies for assessing the care load of individuals providing care to cancer patients in Turkish society

Validity and Reliability of a Turkish Version of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale

WOS: 000270423200011PubMed ID: 19752664PURPOSE: Anorectal disorders, including fecal incontinence, are a significant healthcare problem that produce bothersome symptoms and adversely affect quality of life. We sought to establish the validity and reliability of a Turkish language version of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQOLS). SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Data were collected at the Fecal Incontinence-Constipation-Biofeedback Clinic, located in the Gastroenterology Department at Ege University School of Medicine Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The study sample comprised patients with fecal incontinence who attended the clinical assessment and agreed to participate in the study. INSTRUMENTS: A sociodemographic questionnaire form, the 29-item FIQOLS, and the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), as well as the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to subjects. Both the FIQOLS and FISI were translated from English to Turkish by using a back-translation technique. METHODS: Subjects initially completed the FIQOLS, FISI, and the SF-36 at baseline and again after a 2-week interval to allow test-retest reliability measurement. Internal consistency was also measured, using the Cronbach alpha and Spearman-Brown split-half coefficients. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using interclass correlation coefficient testing. The validity of FIQOLS with respect to the SF-36 and FISI was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Fifty subjects with fecal incontinence participated in the study; their mean age (SD) was 57.1 (+/-15.7) years. Almost two-thirds (66%) were female, and 38% did not complete primary school education. Test-retest reliability analysis revealed an intraclass correlation of r value higher than 0.70 (P < .05). The overall Cronbach alpha coefficient of instrument was .88; the Spearman-Brown split-half value was 0.84 for the first half of the tool and 0.76 for the second half. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for subfactors varied from .56 to .82. The FIQOLS score was found to have a statistically significant (P < .05) correlation with both the FISI and SF-36. CONCLUSION: These findings support the Turkish language version of the FIQOLS as a valid and reliable instrument

Knowledge and attitudes of Turkish oncology nurses about cancer pain management

WOS: 000254073400004PubMed ID: 18313586Effective pain management requires accurate knowledge, attitudes, and assessment skills. The purpose of the present study was to examine information about the knowledge and attitudes of Turkish oncology nurses regarding cancer pain management. The sample consisted of 68 oncology nurses employed in oncology and hematology units in two university hospitals located in Izmir, Turkey. The Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain was used to measure the nurses' pain management knowledge and attitudes. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, t test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis, and Pearson correlation test. Of the nurses that participated in the study, 57.4% were between the ages of 21 and 30 years, 58.8% were unmarried, and 55.9% had an associate degree. The average correct response rate was 35.41%, with rates ranging from 5.13% to 56.41% for each survey question. Among the 39 pain knowledge questions assessed, the mean number of correctly answered questions was 13.81 +/- 5.02, with a range of 2 to 22 items correctly answered. When the knowledge scores were further analyzed by nurses' background characteristics, the nurses' pain knowledge was only positively correlated to length of working experience in oncology units (r = 0.263;p < .05). The findings support the concern of inadequate knowledge and attitudes in relation to cancer pain management. We believe that basic and continuing education programs may improve knowledge level of nursing about pain management. (c) 2008 by the American Society for Pain Management Nursing

Effects of Pain Education Program on Pain Intensity, Pain Treatment Satisfaction, and Barriers in Turkish Cancer Patients

WOS: 000279489700006PubMed ID: 19944377The purpose of this randomized controlled study was to investigate the effect of a pain education program (PEP) on pain intensity, patients' satisfaction with pain treatment, and patient-related barriers to pain management among Turkish patients with cancer. The study was conducted in a sample of 40 patients who were hospitalized for cancer and experiencing pain. The patients were equally randomized to either a PEP or a control group. The data were collected by means of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Numeric Rating Scale, and the Barrier Questionnaire Revised. After the completion of the questionnaires at the first interview, patients in the PEP group received pain education using a pain educational booklet and an explanatory slide program that discussed the booklet's content with the patients. Patients in the control group received routine clinical care. The questionnaires were reapplied to the patients in both groups after 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Participation in a PEP was associated with decreased pain intensity scores for "present" and "least pain" during weeks 2, 4, and 8 (p < .05). Similarly, there were significant differences between the groups with respect to weeks 2, 4, and 8 satisfaction with pain treatment (p < .05). At the end of second week, the total BQ-r score decreased significantly in the PEP group from 2.12 to 1.29 compared with 2.30 to 2.28 in the control group (p < .001). The findings suggest that the PEP decreases pain intensity, improves satisfaction with treatment, and decreases barriers about cancer pain management in cancer patients. Incorparation of PEP into the standard of care for cancer patients with pain may improve the quality of pain management. (C) 2009 by the American Society for Pain Management NursingEge University Research FoundationEge University [2005-HYO-06]The pain education booklet was printed by Novartis Oncology Group. This study was funded by Ege University Research Foundation (Project no. 2005-HYO-06)

The Effects of Personal Disease Management on Insufficiency Levels and Quality of Life in Patients with Arthritis

WOS: 000283186700017Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of personal education on insufficiency levels and quality in of the patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory arthritis, and to investigate whether its effect was similar in these two different disease models. Material and Methods: Female patients admitted to our out-patient rheumatology clinic in an university hospital and diagnosed with gonarthrosis (N=30) and rheumatoid arthritis (N=30) were included in this semi-experimental study conducted between September 2007-June 2008. A private questionnaire was applied to each patient to collect their socio-demographic and disease-related data, and each patient was given information about the characteristics, causes and treatments of the disease. Moreover, the importance of adaptation to the medical treatment, diet and regular exercise, and also ways to cope with the disease were told to each patient. Before and, two and six weeks after the education period, insufficiency levels and quality of life of the patients were investigated by applying a health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) and SF-36 quality of life assessment form. Data were analyzed by numbers, percentages, Student-t test, repeated measures of One-way ANOVA and repeated measures of Two-way ANOVA (SPSS 15.0). Results: There were no significant differences between HAQ and SF-36 data in two arthritis groups before education. However, HAQdata were significantly improved in both two arthritis groups after education (p<0.05). In addition, all parameters in gonarthrosis group, and all parameters except social function in rheumatoid arthritis group were significantly improved for SF-36 data after education (p<0.05). No group differences were found for improved parameters. Conclusion: Our present data shows that patient education decreases the insufficiency levels in disease and increases the quality of life of the patients with gonarthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis

Examining the Effect of the Case Management Model on Patient Results in the Palliative Care of Patients With Cancer

WOS: 000342571500011PubMed ID: 24097840Purpose We aimed to investigate the improvement in symptoms, quality of life, patient and family satisfaction with care, and direct costs resulting from a palliative care program based case management model. Methods The research was implemented at the Medical Oncology Clinic hospital of a University between September 2009 and September 2011. The research sample consisted of a total of 44 patients (22 control and 22 intervention group). The research tools were the Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis System, the Karnofsky Performance Scale, the EORTCQLQ-C30 Quality of Life Scale, a patient and family satisfaction form, and a patient cost record form. Results The difference between total symptom mean scores and the sub-dimension symptoms of pain, fatigue, nausea, depression, anxiety, lack of appetite, lethargy, well-being, dyspnea, and constipation post-hospitalization and post-discharge of patients in the control and experimental groups were found to be statistically significant (p 0.05). Conclusion We provided a better symptom control, improved the patient s quality of life (excluding physical and congnitive functions), and patient and family satisfaction levels were higher in the palliative care based case management intervention group, but direct health costs were not affected

Comfort and quality of life in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy

WOS: 000378978900003PubMed ID: 27569071Purpose: Radiation therapy is generally applied after surgery for the treatment of breast cancer, which is among the most frequently observed types of cancer in females. Radiation therapy may have some negative effects on the quality of life due to various side effects such as changes in the skin, mucositis and fatigue. Our study was planned as a descriptive study, in order to examine the relationship between comfort and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Methods: This study involved 61 patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Data were collected using "Patient Information Form", "Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire" and "EORTC QLQ-BR23". The scales were applied twice, before the start and at the end of treatment. Data were evaluated via Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation analyses. Results: No statistically significant difference was determined between comfort and quality of life average score before and after radiotherapy (p>0.05). A positive relationship was determined between the pain and symptom quality of life (p<0.05). Although a positive relationship was determined between comfort score and the functional and general quality of life areas, a negative relationship was detected with the symptom quality of life (p<0.01). Conclusion: Radiation therapy applied to breast cancer patients did not affect comfort and quality of life, On the contrary, the quality of life of patients increased along with their comfort levels and that comfort levels decreased as the experienced symptoms increased

PREVALANCE OF FECAL INCONTINENCE AND ITS EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN NURSING HOMES IN THE CITY OF IZMIR

WOS: 000265616100007Introduction: In this study, it was aimed to determine fecal incontinence prevalance and its effect on quality of life of elderly. Materials and Method: The research was carried out in a sample of a total of 304 elderly individuals who were selected senior citizens residing in three nursing homes within the city of Directorate of Social Services, izmir between the dates of September 2006-November 2006. Research data was collected by "sociodemographic and bowel habit data form", reliable and valid "Turkish Adaptation of Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQOLS) and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI)". Results: 9,5% of elderly in households stated fecal incontinence. The score of elderly's FIQOLS the reason of depression/self perception (12.5 +/- 4.6) and embrassment (4.2 +/- 2.6) domains were low, their psychosocial statement the most affected, Significant correlation between the FISI and FIQOLQ's domains depression/self perception (r=-0.8 p<0.05) and embrassment was found (r=-0.9 p<0.05). Conclusion: Fecal incontinence in elderly has negative effect on health and quality of life. Indepently from the severity of fecal incontinence type and prevalance, it is necessary to support to the elderly for their feeling well for physical, social, hygenic and psyhologic