Hope and symptom burden of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A cross-sectional study

The impact of fear of cancer recurrence on the quality of life of breast cancer patients: A longitudinal study of the mediation effect of cortisol and hope

OBJECTIVE

This longitudinal study sought to explore the impact of cortisol and hope levels on Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) and Quality of Life (QOL) in a cohort of 552 breast cancer patients from three centers in Wuhan City.

METHOD

A longitudinal study involving 552 breast cancer patients from three centers in Wuhan City utilized Chinese versions of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), the Herth Hope Index (HHI), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) scale. Cortisol levels were measured thrice daily, and data was collected longitudinally three times. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3, employing a longitudinal path model constructed via the cross-lagged method.

RESULTS

The results showed there were significant correlations between FCR, cortisol levels, and QOL at different time points. A significant mediating model was found with outcomes related to hope levels. Specifically, FCR predicted a decrease in hope levels (β = -0.163, p < 0.001), which in turn led to a decrease in overall QOL (β = -0.078, p < 0.001), with a mediation effect accounting for 10.34%. Although there were correlations between FCR, cortisol levels, and QOL at different time points, further analysis revealed that cortisol levels did not exhibit a mediating effect between the two (95% confidence interval: -0.002 to 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated there were significant correlations among FCR, QOL, and hope levels. Considering hope as a crucial mediator between FCR and QOL, potential intervention strategies for optimizing the QOL of breast cancer patients are proposed.

Whole-process case management effects on mental state and self-care ability in patients with liver cancer

BACKGROUND

Regarding the incidence of malignant tumors in China, the incidence of liver cancer ranks fourth, second only to lung, gastric, and esophageal cancers. The case fatality rate ranks third after lung and cervical cancer. In a previous study, the whole-process management model was applied to patients with breast cancer, which effectively reduced their negative emotions and improved treatment adherence and nursing satisfaction.

AIM

To explore Mental state and self-care ability in patients with liver cancer: effects of whole-process case management.

METHODS

In this single-center, randomized, controlled study, 60 randomly selected patients with liver cancer who had been admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 30), who received whole-process case management on the basis of routine nursing measures, and a control group (n = 30), who were given routine nursing measures. We compared differences between the two groups in terms of anxiety, depression, the level of hope, self-care ability, symptom distress, sleep quality, and quality of life.

RESULTS

Post-intervention, Hamilton anxiety scale, Hamilton depression scale, memory symptom assessment scale, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores in both groups were lower than those pre-intervention, and the observation group had lower scores than the control group (P < 0.05). Herth hope index, self-care ability assessment scale-revision in Chinese, and quality of life measurement scale for patients with liver cancer scores in both groups were higher than those pre-intervention, with higher scores in the observation group compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Whole-process case management can effectively reduce anxiety and depression in patients with liver cancer, alleviate symptoms and problems, and improve the level of hope, self-care ability, sleep quality, and quality of life, as well as provide feasible nursing alternatives for patients with liver cancer.

Mediation effect of hope on the relationship between inner strength and self-management in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Effective self-management can enhance a patient's quality of life and delay disease progression. However, motivating patients to adhere to self-management behavior following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a challenge. With the robust development of positive psychology and interdisciplinary research, the role of psychology factors in patients' health behavior has increasingly garnered attention. This study, focusing on positive psychological qualities, aims to investigate the relationship between inner strength, hope, and self-management in patients post-PCI, and to analyze the mediating role of hope between inner strength and self-management.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 216 PCI patients from a tertiary hospital in Nanjing. Research instruments included a self-designed general information questionnaire, the Inner Strength Scale (ISS), the Herth Hope Index (HHI), and the Coronary Self-Management Scale (CSMS). T-test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and mediating effect test were utilized for statistical analysis.

Results

The average scores of the ISS, HHI, and CSMS were 81.46 ± 12.00, 35.94 ± 5.38, and 86.79 ± 14.84, respectively. Inner strength was positively correlated with hope and self-management (r = 0.867, r = 0.630, respectively; all P < 0.05), and hope was positively correlated with self-management (r = 0.671, P < 0.05). Moreover, hope had a complete mediating effect between inner strength and self-management (β = 0.630, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The inner strength, hope, and self-management of patients with PCI are at a moderate level. Inner strength primarily influences patients' self-management behavior through hope, suggesting that medical staff can target hope to help patients build confidence in life after illness, form and accumulate inner strength, thereby promoting their self-management and improving prognosis.

Fear of progression, loneliness, and hope in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a cross-sectional relational study

Introduction

In recent years, fear of disease progression (FoP) has become one of the most common psychological problems in cancer patients. However, there are fewer studies on the FoP in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. We aimed to assess the level of FoP in patients with gastrointestinal tumors and analyze the factors related to FoP. We also aimed to examine the relationship among loneliness, hope and FoP in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on three Grade A hospitals in southwestern China from November 2021 to July 2022. The demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, Fear of Disease Progression Scale (FoP-Q-SF), Cancer Loneliness Scale (CLS), and Herth Hope Index (HHI) were included in this study. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

In total, 245 gastrointestinal cancer patients participated in this study. The average (standard deviation) FoP score in patients was 32.94 ± 10.64. In total, 245 gastrointestinal cancer patients participated in this study. The average (standard deviation) FoP score in patients was 32.94  ±  10.64. The average score of CLS was 17.65  ±  6.71, and that for the HHI was 31.27  ±  7.73. Pearson correlation analysis showed that FoP was negatively significant correlated with hope level (r = -0.522) and FoP was positively significant correlated with loneliness (r = 0.545). Linear regression analysis showed that educational level, age, living condition, hope, and loneliness were the significant predictors of FoP and explained 53.10% of the variability in FoP (F = 16.372).

Conclusion

Findings highlight the need to strengthen attention to FoP in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Our study showed that gastrointestinal cancer patients who have a high school education, are age 45 to 59, live alone, high level of loneliness, and low level of hope have higher FoP. Medical staff should enhance clinical screening of FoP and consider the formulation of relevant interventions for high-risk groups to reduce loneliness among patients, raise their hope level, and reduce their FoP.

Hope and its associated factors in cancer patients undergoing drug therapy: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to clarify the hope of cancer patients undergoing drug therapy and related factors through a systematic review.

METHODS

References were searched and selected in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Thirteen articles were selected. A meta-analysis found that the overall Herth Hope Index score for cancer patients undergoing drug therapy averaged 35.64 points. The hope of cancer patients was associated with anxiety/depression and quality of life (QOL). It was also associated with personal attributes such as age, family structure, economic situation, educational level, social support, internal factors such as coping, self-esteem, optimism, self-confidence, locus of control, etc., as well as disease/treatment-related factors such as the purpose of treatment, general condition, presence or absence of metastasis, symptoms, survival period, and estimated life expectancy.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety/depression, QOL, and other factors were found to be related to cancer patients' hope. In the future, studies that clarify the overall structure of various factors related to hope and longitudinal studies will be necessary.

Spiritual well-being and its association with hope and meaning in life among gastrointestinal cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Spiritual well-being is a critical element of individuals' quality of life and is overestimated by healthcare providers. A body of evidence is conducted on the spiritual well-being of cancer patients, but few on gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients, which constitute a great proportion of the cancer burden. This study aimed to investigate the spiritual well-being of GI cancer patients and its association with hope and meaning in life.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 237 GI cancer patients were recruited in this study by convenience sampling in 2022. All the participants completed the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Wellbeing, Herth Hope Index, and Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the associated factors with spiritual well-being.

RESULTS

The GI cancer patients experience a relatively low level of spiritual well-being (mean = 31.54, SD = 9.84). The presence of meaning (B = 0.847, 95% CI [0.640, 1.054], p < 0.001), inner positive readiness and expectancy (B = 1.033, 95% CI [0.548, 1.518], p < 0.001), residence (B = 2.828, 95% CI [1.045, 4.612], p = 0.002), and search for meaning (B = 0.247, 95% CI [0.072, 0.422], p = 0.006) were associated with the spiritual well-being of GI cancer patients. These four associated variables accounted for 57.8% of the variance in spiritual well-being (F = 81.969, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The spiritual well-being of GI cancer patients was relatively low and associated with the presence of meaning, inner positive readiness and expectancy, residence, and search for meaning. Healthcare professionals may consider improving GI patients' spiritual well-being by enhancing their sense of meaning in life and inner positive readiness and expectancy.

Analysis of hope level and its influencing factors in patients with decompensated cirrhosis

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine hope level and its influencing factors in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study.

METHODS

We selected 93 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis from a Chinese university hospital based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A general information questionnaire and Herth Hope Index were used, and multiple linear regression identified factors associated with the patients' hope level.

RESULTS

The participants' average hope level was 32.01 ± 6.14 (moderate). The hope score's highest and lowest dimensions were "interconnectedness" (11.29 ± 2.17) and "temporality and future" (10.12 ± 2.28), respectively. Multiple linear regression showed that education level and monthly per capita income were independent influencing factors (p < .05). These variables explained 38.3% of the variation in hope.

CONCLUSION

The participants' hope level was not optimal. Thus, medical staff should pay special attention to patients with low education level and poor economic status, and guide them to adopt a positive attitude.