Evaluation of the Satisfaction and Usefulness of a Web-Based Educational Program for Breast Cancer Patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based breast cancer educational program which consists of special features such as flash animations and online counseling as well as 7 different categories of information on breast cancer. The effectiveness of the program was analyzed in terms of its function and content. A total of 147 women with breast cancer who visited the website for at least 30 minutes and a minimum of 3 visits, participated in the survey

Tailoring communications to the evolving needs of patients throughout the cancer care trajectory: a qualitative exploration with breast cancer patients

Background: Doctor-patient communication is a crucial aspect of patient care. This study explored the communication experience of patients in a cancer consultation over the course of the cancer continuum. Methods: In-depth interviews with seven breast cancer patients were carried out. Results: Themes related to communication experiences across the five phases of cancer consultation, from diagnosis to recurrence, were identified. The most salient issue is that patients also perceived cancer as 'a disease of the mind', which is not adequately cared for in consultation. This highlights the notion that cancer care providers should provide appropriate care for the psychological dimensions of the cancer experience with an empathic and sincere attitude during consultations. To this end, non-verbal aspects of communication that convey caring, support, and respect seem important. Furthermore, patients perceived that the consultation time was far shorter then they needed and reported that they felt pressured for time. Moreover, the stance taken by patients and the needs and preferences of patients varied across the phases of the cancer trajectory. As patients progressed through the phases of their treatment, they assumed more active roles in the course of their care and the need for more detailed information and questioning increased. Thus, ensuring that patients have opportunities to ask questions in the consultation is important. Conclusion: Current findings suggest that the efficacy of communication varies depending on which phase patients are in and that effective communication should be tailored to these evolving needs and preferences of breast cancer patients. Also, patients perceived that the consultation did not adequately address their need for information related to their care or their emotional issues associated with the cancer experience. It is therefore important to address their needs by paying particular attention to non-verbal aspects of communication that convey empathy and respect toward patients, as well as allowing patients to ask questionsope

Unmet needs and quality of life of family caregivers of cancer patients in South Korea

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of unmet needs and quality of life (QOL) among family caregivers (FCs) of cancer patients and to characterize the relationship between unmet needs and QOL. Methods: A descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected by convenience sampling during 2013 from 191 FCs of cancer patients who visited an outpatient cancer center in a general hospital in Korea. The comprehensive needs assessment tool for cancer-caregivers and the Korean version of the Caregiver QOL Index-Cancer were used to measure unmet needs and QOL, respectively. Results: FCs of cancer patients had a variety of unmet needs with prevalence ranged from 57.0% to 88.9%, depending on the domain. The domain with the highest prevalence of unmet needs was healthcare staff, followed by information/education. The mean QOL score was 74.62, with a possible range of 0-140. A negative correlation was found between unmet needs and QOL. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that unmet needs relating to health/psychological problems, practical support, family/social support, in addition to household income, cohabitation with the patient, and patient′s age, explained 52.7% of the variance in QOL. The most influential factor was unmet needs relating to health/psychological problems, which accounted for 35.7% of the variance. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that oncology professionals need to develop interventions to improve the QOL of FCs by focusing not only on information/educational needs of patient care but also on physical and psychological needs of FCs

Structural Equation Model for Psychosocial 가족회복력 모델에 근거한 유방암 경험자의 심리사회적 적응 구조모형

© 2022 Korean Society of Adult NursingPurpose: This study aimed to construct and test a hypothetical model which explains the psychosocial adjustment of breast cancer survivors using the family resilience model suggested by McCubbin and McCubbin. Methods: The study participants were 242 breast cancer survivors who had finished active treatments within the past five years. Data were collected from September to October 2017 from an offline breast cancer self-help group survey and an online breast cancer support group. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 and AMOS version 23.0. Results: The model fit indices for the modified hypothetical model were suitable for the recommended level: χ2=223.80 (df=88, p<.001), χ2/df=2.54, RMR=.04, GFI=.90, IFI=.93, CFI=.93, and RMSEA=.08. Symptoms and posttraumatic growth directly affected psychosocial adjustment. Symptoms were found to be the most influential factors in the psychosocial adjustment. All three family resilience factors-family hardiness, problem-solving communication, and problem-solving coping-directly affected posttraumatic growth and indirectly affected psychosocial adjustment through posttraumatic growth. These variables explained 81.2% of breast cancer survivors’ psychosocial adjustment. Conclusion: Health care professionals need to continue to provide interventions for symptom relief and support to improve the psychosocial adjustment of breast cancer survivors. Additionally, practical nursing interventions should be prepared for individuals and families of breast cancer survivors to promote recovery and reinforce family resilience. This will ultimately improve the quality of life for breast cancer survivors and their families.N

Factors influencing health-promoting behaviors in Korean breast cancer survivors

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among internal health locus of control, depression, social support, and health-promoting behaviors in Korean breast cancer survivors and to identify factors influencing health-promoting behaviors. Method: A predictive design was used. The data were collected by questionnaires from a convenience sample of 258 breast cancer survivors in Korea during 2007. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearsons correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: When differences of health-promoting lifestyle based on demographic and illness-related characteristics were examined, no significant differences were found except for undergoing chemotherapy. Internal health locus of control, depression, and social support were correlated significantly with the health-promoting lifestyle. As a result of stepwise multiple regression analysis, social support, depression, and chemotherapy were discovered to account for 34.98% of the variance in healthpromoting lifestyle. The variable that most affected a health-promoting lifestyle was social support, followed by chemotherapy and depression. Conclusions: The results of the study clearly demonstrate the importance of social support and depression in explaining the occurrence of a health-promoting lifestyle among Korean breast cancer survivors.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2012-01/102/0000028528/2SEQ:2PERF_CD:SNU2012-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000028528ADJUST_YN:NEMP_ID:A076124DEPT_CD:811CITE_RATE:1.41FILENAME:Factors influencing health-promoting behaviors in Korean breast cancer survivors.pdfDEPT_NM:간호학과EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YCONFIRM:

Informational Needs of Korean Women with Breast Cancer: Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Toronto Informational Needs Questionnaire of Breast Cancer

Purpose The purpose of this study was to adopt an instrument suitable for assessing the informational needs of Korean women with breast cancer. Methods This was a cross-cultural adaptation into Korean and quantitative validation of the 52-item Toronto Informational Needs Questionnaire of Breast Cancer (TINQ-BC). In the validation phase, we assessed the psychometric properties of the instrument in a cross-sectional survey of 164 Korean women with breast cancer participating in self-support groups. Results Construct and content validity of the instrument was established. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha was .97. Using confirmatory factor analysis, factor loadings ranging from .54 to .87 were obtained and considered satisfactory. All 52 items of the TINQ-BC were found to be effective at measuring the informational needs of Korean women with breast cancer. According to the adapted scale, the Korean Informational Needs Questionnaire of Breast Cancer, the informational needs of Korean women with breast cancer were high, with a mean total score of 203.61 (standard deviation, 34.43; range, 109–255). Conclusion The TINQ-BC, developed and tested in Canada, was adapted and successfully utilized in this study in Korea, indicating that it has the potential to assess the informational needs of women with breast cancer on an international basis. Health care professionals must be aware of the domains of information that these women perceive to be important so that educational interventions can be effectively planned and executed.This research was supported by a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure (#POP0504408)

Additional file 1: of Tailoring communications to the evolving needs of patients throughout the cancer care trajectory: a qualitative exploration with breast cancer patients

Semi-structured interview questions. Semi-structured interview questions used in the study. (DOCX 24 kb