Objectively Assessed Exercise Behavior in Chinese Patients with Early-Stage Cancer: A Predictor of Perceived Benefits, Communication with Doctors, Medical Coping Modes, Depression and Quality of Life

Application of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint needle embedding combined with emotional nursing in patients with gynecological malignant tumors

BACKGROUND

Few relevant literature reports on applying acupoint press-needle embedding combined with emotional nursing in patients with a gynecological malignant tumor.

AIM

To explore the effect of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint needle embedding combined with emotional nursing on chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting (CINV), cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and psychological state in patients with gynecological malignant tumors.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of the clinical information of 84 patients with gynecological malignant tumors treated in our hospital from August 2020 to December 2022 Led to the development of an observation group (n = 42) and a control group (n = 42) based on various nursing approaches. Ondansetron hydrochloride injection was administered to the individuals in the control group. However, the observation group received emotional nursing based on the control group and acupoint press-needle embedding of traditional Chinese medicine. Patients in both groups received the chemotherapy regimen of paclitaxel liposome + carbo-platin/ cisplatin. For four weeks, both groups intervened. The CINV grade, quality of life, CRF, psychological status and sleep quality scores of the two groups before and after intervention were compared.

RESULTS

After intervention, the degree of CINV in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group. After intervention, the scores of each dimension and total score of FLIE scale were significantly higher than those in the control group. After intervention, the scores of each dimension and total score of Piper Fatigue Scale were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the scores of avoidance and yield dimensions in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the scores of confrontation dimension were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the sleep quality score of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the Karnofsky Performance Status scale score was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The acupuncture point needle embedding of traditional Chinese medicine combined with emotional nursing can further reduce the incidence of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in patients with gynecological malignant tumors, improve the quality of life and the degree of CRF, alleviate the bad psychological state, adopt a positive way to face the disease and treatment, and improve the quality of sleep and quality of life.

The role of social support in physical activity for cancer survivors: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Social support is conceptualized and operationalized in many ways, making it challenging to understand what types of support best predict physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors. This review examined associations between social support and PA among cancer survivors.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched eight databases for studies that reported an association between social support and PA among adult cancer survivors. We conducted an appraisal and a narrative synthesis of the findings from quantitative studies.

RESULTS

Fifty studies representing 28 366 participants were included. Studies collectively included concepts addressing the presence of relationships, others' PA behavior, perceptions of being supported, and function/quality. Findings were mixed in suggesting a positive or null association with PA.

CONCLUSIONS

While results are not definitive, this review takes a step toward mapping the social support literature in PA for cancer survivors. Limitations include the homogeneity of the participants in extant studies, and the secondary focus on testing the effects of social support on outcomes. Future research systematically testing the effects of social support is important for facilitating PA in this population.

Study of the uses of Information and Communication Technologies by Pain Treatment Unit Physicians

Adequate use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in health has been shown to save the patient and caregiver time, improve access to the health system, improve diagnosis and control of disease or treatment. All this results in cost savings, and more importantly, they help improve the quality of service and the lives of patients. The purpose of this study is to analyse the differences in the uses of this ICTs between those physicians that belong to Pain Treatment Units (PU) and other physicians that work in pain not linked to these PUs. An online survey, generated by Netquest online survey tool, was sent to both groups of professionals and the data collected was statistical analysed through a logistic regression methodology which is the Logit binomial model. Our results show that those physicians that belong to PUs use ICTs more frequently and consider it more relevant to their clinical practice.