Factors related to self-efficacy among men and women undergoing outpatient chemotherapy in Japan

The Effect of the Neuman Systems Model-Based Training and Follow-up on Self-Efficacy and Symptom Control in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

In this article, the authors aimed to determine the effect of the training and follow-up based on the Neuman systems model provided to patients undergoing chemotherapy on their self-efficacy and symptom control. The study was carried out with a randomized controlled experimental study model design. The sample consisted of 102 patients including 52 in the experimental group and 50 in the control group. The data were collected using the Patient Information Form, the Cancer Behavior Inventory-Brief (CBI-B), and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). A personal training program prepared according to the Neuman systems model was applied to the experimental group patients. In the intergroup comparison of the experimental and control group patients, there was an increase in the posttest CBI-B scores and a decrease in the ESAS scores in the experimental group compared to the control group, and the intergroup difference was statistically significant (p < .05). According to the results, to improve the self-efficacy and symptom control in patients undergoing chemotherapy, using this education and follow-up program is recommended.

Development and preliminary testing of a questionnaire to measure mobile health information-seeking behaviour in people with cancer

AIM

The aim of the study was to develop and psychologically test the mobile health information-seeking behaviour (MHISB) questionnaire in people with cancer.

DESIGN

Instrument development.

METHODS

The study was conducted in three phases in a southeastern city of China from May 2017 to April 2018. In phase one, an item pool was constructed based on a literature review and semistructured interviews. In phase two, expert evaluation and cognitive interviews were used to evaluate the content validity of the questionnaire. In phase three, a cross-sectional study was conducted with people with cancer. Cronbach's α was calculated for reliability analysis. Validity evaluation included content validity and construct validity.

RESULTS

The developed MHISB questionnaire has four dimensions (information-seeking frequency, information-seeking self-efficacy, health information evaluation and information-seeking willingness) and 25 items. Psychometric findings were satisfactory and supported the questionnaire's reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

The construction process of the MHISB questionnaire was scientific and feasible. The MHISB questionnaire had acceptable validity and reliability, and it requires further improvement in future studies.

Changes in Depression and Sleep Quality and Associated Factors in Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Although women with ovarian cancer experience depression and poor sleep quality, little is known about how various factors, particularly self-efficacy, might be associated with these conditions.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of and changes in depression and sleep quality and the factors associated with these conditions in a cohort of women with ovarian cancer before, during, and after chemotherapy.

METHODS

A prospective repeated-measures design was adopted in this study. Participants were women with ovarian cancer who were expected to receive 4 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy and were recruited at a medical center in Taiwan. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included the Symptom Distress Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, General Self-efficacy Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The data were collected before, during, and after the course of chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Overall, 24.6% to 36.9% of women were at risk for depression; 75.4% to 80.0% of women had poor sleep quality. There were no significant changes in depressive symptoms and sleep quality throughout the course of chemotherapy. More severe depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of symptom distress and lower self-efficacy. Poorer sleep quality was associated with higher levels of symptom distress.

CONCLUSIONS

Among participants, more depressive symptoms and poorer sleep quality were associated with higher levels of symptom distress or lower self-efficacy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Healthcare providers should continuously assess depression and sleep quality in women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms may be improved by strengthening self-efficacy and relieving symptom distress.

Correlation of self-efficacy and symptom control in cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study was planned to evaluate the self-efficacy and symptom control of cancer patients and to determine the factors affecting them.

METHODS

The sample of the study consisted of 329 cancer patients who were treated in the Medical Oncology Clinic of a university hospital between April and June 2019 and accepted to participate in the study. Data were collected using the Patient Characteristics Information Form, Cancer Behavior Inventory-Short Version (CBI-SV), and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). Percentage, mean, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance were used in the analysis of the data.

RESULTS

The mean CBI-SV score of the patients was 79.10 ± 17.55. It was determined that the highest mean score of ESAS of the patients was in the symptom of fatigue (3.53 ± 2.81). Some symptoms were statistically lower in patients with good income, who are working, and who are non-smokers. Also it was determined that the self-efficacy levels of the patients with good income and quitting smoking were higher (p < 0.05). At the same time, as the patients' self-efficacy scores increased, the severity of the symptoms they experienced decreased statistically (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It was found that the patients' self-efficacy score was above the moderate level, the most intense symptom experienced by the patients was fatigue, and the severity of the symptoms decreased as the patients' self-efficacy level increased. In line with these results; the symptoms, self-efficacy perceptions, and affecting factors of cancer patients should be evaluated by nurses at regular intervals, and care and consultancy services should be provided.

[Quality of life in home-based cancer patients: A comparative study of chemotherapy administration route]

INTRODUCTION

Home healthcare can be totally different depending on the route of treatment: intravenous anticancer drugs involve regular contact with the health caregiver while the oral route leaves the patient completely autonomous. This cross-sectional research has a comparative purpose between the representations of disease and treatments, the self-efficacy and the quality of life of patients treated with oral anticancer drugs and those treated by intravenous route.

METHODS

The sample include 130 patients with cancer. Seventy-two are treated with intravenous chemotherapy and 48 by oral route. The protocol includes a questionnaire of disease representations (IPQ-r), treatment representations (BMQ), self-efficacy (GSES 10) and quality of life (QLQ-C30).

RESULTS

The administration route of anticancer treatment impacts the illness representations with the normalization of cancer. The intravenous route, by its invasive and time-consuming nature, increases difficulties in fulfilling family and professional roles. Moreover, side effects are correlated with the perceived dangerousness of the treatment and self-efficacy. Age and the length of time since the diagnosis affect respectively the understanding of the disease and the cognitive dimension of quality of life.

DISCUSSION

More than a difference in form of treatment, the whole pathway of healthcare has to be taken into account since it involves different psychological consequences, in particular about therapeutic choices or in terms of patient support.

Longitudinal course and predictors of communication and affect management self-efficacy among women newly diagnosed with gynecological cancers

OBJECTIVE

Self-efficacy is an important psychological resource to assist people in managing chronic illness and has been associated with psychological outcomes among patients coping with cancer. Little is known about the course of self-efficacy among gynecological cancer patients coping with cancer and the sociodemographic, medical, and psychological factors that are associated with the course of self-efficacy among these patients.

METHODS

One hundred twenty-five women recently diagnosed with gynecological cancer completed a measure of communication and affective management self-efficacy at baseline, 5 weeks, 9 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 18 months post-baseline. Participants also completed measures of functional impairment, holding back, perceived unsupportive behaviors of family and friends, emotional expressivity, cancer concerns, depressive symptoms, cancer-specific intrusions and avoidance, problem-solving, and positive reappraisal coping.

RESULTS

Growth curve modeling suggested that women varied considerably in their average reports of self-efficacy and varied with regard to their linear trajectories of self-efficacy over time. Average affect management self-efficacy increased significantly over time. Greater functional impairment, more holding back, more unsupportive responses from friends and family, less emotional expressivity, more cancer concerns, depression, intrusions, or avoidance predicted lower average self-efficacy over time. Women who were less emotionally expressive or held back sharing concerns less reported lower self-efficacy which increased over time.

CONCLUSIONS

It will be important for providers to identify gynecological cancer patients who report low ability to communicate feelings and needs and manage emotional reactions to cancer and offer them interventions which bolster self-efficacy.

Investigation of the relationship among fatigue, self-efficacy and quality of life during chemotherapy in patients with breast, lung or gastrointestinal cancer

To explore the relationship between fatigue and self-efficacy, and quality of life (QoL) during chemotherapy of patients with breast, lung or gastrointestinal cancers. This study is a descriptive-correlational research. The study population comprised of patients with breast, lung and gastrointestinal cancer treated at the outpatient chemotherapy unit. Patients' self-efficacy and QoL were assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scale and Strategies Used by Patients to Promote Health scale. The sample included 236 patients receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer (30.9%), gastrointestinal (25.8%) or breast cancers (25.4%). The patients had little confidence in performing self-care self-efficacy during chemotherapy for the management of illness and chemotherapy-related side effects. The study found that the patients with cancer were moderately fatigued and all the domains of QoL of patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy were considerably impaired. Positive correlations were found between self-efficacy scores and fatigue scores (p < 0.001), and QoL scores (p < 0.001). Better self-efficacy beliefs were associated with better QoL and lower fatigue. Improving the cancer patients' self-confidence in performing self-care behaviours may have a positive impact on performing cognitive and behavioural fatigue management strategies and can influence positively the patients' QoL during chemotherapy.