Pain interference level and its effects on patients' quality of life and depression: a study on breast cancer survivors in Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Introduction: Cancer pain is a complex experience and is one of the most common and distressing symptom of breast cancer which affects patients’ functioning in daily activities, their quality of life (QOL), and mood. Yet, there is a great lack of data on breast cancer and pain in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using the Breast Cancer Patient Version of Quality of Life (QOL) Instrument (translated into Malay) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were conducted on 87 female breast cancer patients to investigate the impact of pain interference level on their quality of life and depressive level. Results: The patients were divided into 4 groups based on their rating of how pain and aches have been a problem to them (i.e not a problem [n=18 (20.7%)], mild[n=29 (33.3%)], moderate [n=18 (20.7%)] and severe [n=22(25.3%). Pain and aches ware reported to be the most severe interference problems in QOL physical domain by patients (mean=5.8, SD=2.8), followed by fatigue (mean=6.0, SD=3.1) and sleep changes (mean=6.2, SD=3.5). Patients who reported that pain and aches had severely affected them showed significantly lower score on many aspects of quality of life (Fs > 5, p < 0.005; p < 0.0001) and patients reported pain was not a problem at all demonstrated highest score on all aspects of QOL. Patients with most severe pain interference level showed highest depressive score [F (3, 84) =3, p < 0.05]. Conclusion: The study underscores the impact of pain interference on patients’ quality of life and depressive level. The pain assessment deserves significant attention and therefore a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of pain to rule out any related underlying issues is warranted in the management of breast cancer to ensure appropriate intervention given to the patients

Anomali halaju bunyi ricih dan atenuasi ultrasonik dalam TmBa2 Cu3 O7-δ (δ = 0.06 dan 0.6)

Halaju bunyi, vs dan atenuasi ultrasonik, α gelombang ricih dalam TmBa2 Cu3 O6.94 yang mensuperkonduksi dan TmBa2 Cu3 O6.40 yang tidak mensuperkonduksi telah diukur daripada 80 dan 200 K pada julat frekuensi MHz. Sampel superkonduktor TmBa2 Cu3 O6.94 menunjukkan histeresis terma dan peningkatan halaju ricih,

Suara amien rais suara rakyat

--,222 hal.;23 cm

Experience of Recovering Addicts Undergoing the 7 Steps Recovery in Addiction Program (7-SRA) as an Aftercare Treatment

The high number of drug addiction and relapse rate cases among Muslim clients in Malaysia has been always imposing apprehension upon Malaysians. This underpins the fact that there are rooms for more treatment options from different dimensions to be developed as the complementary action to the existing ones. Recognizing the etiological factor of addiction is also epitomized from individual spirituality, the 7-Steps Recovery in Addiction (7-SRA) was initiated based on Islamic teaching to further addressing this issue through the self-purification and repentance (tazkiyyat al-nafs). An in depth qualitative case study research was conducted to discover the experiences of 8 recovering clients as the participants in an aftercare center to discover their experience undergone the 7 Step in Recovery in Addiction Module. The data was triangulated by using in-depth interviews, observation notes and document analyses. The findings revealed that there were two emerging themes from informants' shared experiences (pre and post intervention) which were spiritual and behavioral dimensions. 7-SRA was reported to be helpful approach for the participants in recovery process; thus 7-SRA is relevant to be employed as an evident-based practice (EBP) in drug addiction problem in particular as an aftercare treatment