10th anniversary book 1995-2005: Department of Nursing Studies

Cover title.published_or_final_versio

Brassiere wearing and breast cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

published_or_final_versio

Life Satisfaction and Sense of Coherence of Breast Cancer Survivors Compared to Women with Mental Depression, Arterial Hypertension and Healthy Controls

The purpose of the study was to compare the life satisfaction (LS) and sense of coherence (SOC) of women recovering from breast cancer (BC) to LS and SOC of women with depression or hypertension and of healthy controls. Finnish Health and Social Support (HeSSup) follow-up survey data in 2003 was linked with national health registries. BC patients were followed up for mortality until the end of 2012. The statistical computations were carried out with SAS (R). There were no significant differences in LS and SOC between the groups with BC, arterial hypertension or healthy controls. Women recovering from BC are as satisfied with their life as healthy controls, and their perceived LS is better and SOC is stronger compared to women with depression. SOC correlated positively (r(2) = 0.36, p <0.001) with LS. However, more studies on determinants of the LS are needed for designing and organizing health care services for BC survivors.Peer reviewe

Women's experience of internal radiation treatment for uterine cervical cancer

Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore the experiences of women undergoing internal radiation for cervical cancer. Background. Cervical cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths globally. Women's experiences of undergoing internal radiation for cervical cancer remain relatively unexplored, in particular in Hong Kong. Better understanding of the experiences of this specific group could inform the provision of supportive care services and provide useful information to be included in education programmes for them. Method. A phenomenological approach was adopted and unstructured telephone interviews were carried out with eight participants between July and October 2004. The interviews were audio-taped and analysed using the procedures described by Giorgi, 1985. Findings. Three themes were identified from the data: (1) isolation versus social intercourse, (2) unbearable symptom distress versus endurance and coping and (3) growth from the experience. The most distressing aspects of undergoing internal cervical irradiation reported by the patients were the experience of isolation and various physical and psychological symptoms. Specific provisions in the physical environment, psychological support provided by healthcare professionals, family and fellow patients and a positive attitude helped them to cope. They also felt that they became stronger through their hardship and suffering. Conclusion. The findings highlight the importance of adequate preparation of patients, carers and friends before the procedure, more sensitive support during the procedure and debriefing afterwards. There might also be benefits in delivering therapy to two women in adjacent beds to enable them to support each other. © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Fatigue and fatigue-relieving strategies used by Hong Kong Chinese patients after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation

Background: Fatigue, a common symptom for patients after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), can be relieved by specific strategies initiated by patients, provided the strategies are perceived as effective. Objectives: To explore the intensity of fatigue experienced by patients after HSCT for the treatment of hematologic malignancy, and to determine the effectiveness of self-initiated fatigue-relieving strategies. Methods: A self-administered survey was mailed to 284 Hong Kong Chinese patients who had been hospitalized for HSCT The patients were required to provide their demographic data and complete the questionnaires of the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale - Chinese Version and the Fatigue Relief Scale - Chinese Version. The data obtained then were analyzed to assess the patients' level of fatigue, the types of fatigue-relieving strategies used, and the effectiveness of the strategies. Results: The participants (n = 157) returned the survey at a response rate of 70.9%. Most of the participants perceived a moderate level of fatigue (mean, 4.7 ± 1.7). More than 15% reported that they experienced a high level of fatigue. Most of the participants (95%) chose to take some rest and reduce physical activities. The five most effective strategies were sleeping, napping, lying down, being massaged, and stopping current activity. Discussion: Most of the participants perceived the level of fatigue after HSCT as moderate, although various self-initiated fetigue-relieving strategies were used.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Effects of a tailor-made exercise program on exercise adherence and health outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a mixed-methods pilot study

Fung-Kam Iris Lee, Tze-Fan Diana Lee, Winnie Kwok-Wei So The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China Introduction: Previous studies showed that exercise intervention was effective in symptoms control of knee osteoarthritis (OA) but poor intervention adherence reduced the exercise effect. It has been suspected that the design of exercise intervention mainly from the health care professionals&rsquo; perspective could not address the patients&rsquo; barriers to exercise. Therefore, a tailor-made exercise program which incorporated the patient&rsquo;s perspective in the design was developed and ready for evaluation.Objectives: This pilot study estimated the effects of a tailor-made exercise program on exercise adherence and health outcomes, and explored the participants&rsquo; perception and experience of the program.Methods: The intervention of this study was a 4-week community-based group exercise program, which required the participants to attend a 1-hour session each week. Thirty-four older people with knee OA were recruited to the program. Mixed-methods study design was used to estimate the effects of this program and explore the participants&rsquo; perception and experience of the program. Exercise adherence and performance in return-demonstration of the exercise were assessed at 12&nbsp;weeks after the program. Disease-specific health status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), general health status (12-item Short Form of the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire), knee range of motion, muscle strength, and endurance of the lower extremities (Timed-Stands Test) were measured at the beginning of the program and 12&nbsp;weeks after. Six participants were interviewed individually on the 12th week.Results: Thirty-three participants (75.0&plusmn;7.3&nbsp;years) completed the one-group pretest and posttest study. The participants&rsquo; exercise adherence was 91.4%&plusmn;14.54%, and their correct performance in return-demonstration was 76.7%&plusmn;21.75%. Most of the participants&rsquo; health outcomes significantly improved at posttests except the 12-item Short Form of the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire physical health summary score. The qualitative findings provided rich information to explain and support the quantitative results.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that a tailor-made exercise program could improve exercise adherence and health outcomes in older people with knee OA. Keywords: Hong Kong, exercise intervention, Chinese, community-based program, older peopl

Hong Kong Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Stress and Their Coping Strategies in Clinical Practice

This study examined Hong Kong baccalaureate nursing students' stress and their coping strategies in clinical practice. Two hundred five nursing students completed a self-administrative survey including demographics, Perceived Stress Scale, and Coping Behavior Inventory. Results showed that students perceived a moderate level of stress (M = 2.10, SD =0.44). The most common stressor was lack of professional knowledge and skills. Among the four types of coping strategies (transference, stay optimistic, problem solving, and avoidance), transference was the most frequently used. Furthermore, senior students who perceived a higher level of stress from taking care of patients were more likely to choose problem-solving strategies. Senior students who had no religious belief and perceived a higher level of stress from teachers and nursing staff were more likely to use avoidance strategies. The results provided valuable information for clinical educators in identifying students' needs, facilitating their learning in the clinical setting, and developing effective interventions to reduce stress. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex