Social support of Chinese patients with ovarian malignancies during chemotherapy: a cohort questionnaire survey

Association between Family Support, Stress, and Sleep Quality among College Students during the COVID-19 Online Learning Period

(1) Background: During the past 3 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the normal school schedule of college students, jeopardizing their mental health, sleep quality, and interpersonal relationships. However, previous studies have focused on the dimension of social support received, and few studies have measured in depth the association of support received from family on adolescents’ physical and mental health. Therefore, this study explored the associations between family support received by Chinese college students during COVID-19 pandemic online classes, stress and sleep quality, and the mediating role of stress. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at Chongqing Medical University recruited 712 college students through a university-wide incidental random sample using the Questionnaire Star platform. Statistical description and correlation analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0, and structural equation modeling was constructed using AMOS 22.0 to test for mediating effects; (3) Results: The family support score of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic online course was 19.41 ± 4.62. Correlation analysis showed that sleep quality was negatively correlated with family support (r = −0.224, p < 0.01), positively correlated with stress (r = 0.324, p < 0.01), and family support was negatively correlated with stress (r = −0.159, p < 0.01). The results of structural equation modeling showed that stress partially mediated the relationship between family support and sleep quality among college students (indirect effect = −0.150, p < 0.01, SE = 0.013,95% CI = [−0.208, −0.064]). The model R2 was 36.4%. (4) Conclusions: Schools should consider implementing sleep education, and stress relief curriculum measures to improve the quality of students’ sleep, and should focus on the role that family plays during online classes. This will help students overcome the negative emotional effects of stress in the COVID-19 pandemic and improve their learning efficiency and physical and mental health.

Time Effects of Supportive Interaction and Facilitator Input Variety on Treatment Adherence of Young People with Chronic Health Conditions: A Dynamic Mechanism in Mutual Aid Groups

This study aims to examine the mechanism of how supportive interaction and facilitator input variety in mutual aid groups impact treatment adherence of young people with chronic health conditions, with consideration of time effects, which have been rarely studied in the existing literature. A stratified random sample of 391 individuals aged 12–45 years with chronic health conditions were recruited from mutual aid groups in Hong Kong and completed both the baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys. The results of the structural equation modeling indicated that supportive interaction and facilitator input variety positively predicted treatment adherence in a delayed condition, whereas members’ treatment adherence in the baseline survey had reversed effects on members’ supportive interaction in the follow-up survey. The findings of this study shed light on the dynamic mechanism of the mutual aid groups and provide important implications to promote better rehabilitation outcomes of young people with chronic health conditions.

Association between socio-demographic factors, coping style, illness perceptions and preference for disclosure/nondisclosure of diagnosis in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

We explored the association between socio-demographic factors, coping style, illness perceptions and preferences for disclosure/nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis in 384 Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. We found that (1) 69.3 percent of the patients preferred disclosure and (2) multivariate analysis showed that four variables were significantly positively associated with preference for disclosure, including active emotional-focused coping style, illness perceptions of personal control, chronic infection of hepatitis B virus, and educational level, whereas perceived emotional impact of illness and objective social support (mainly family support) were significantly associated with preference for nondisclosure. The findings provide useful information for understanding patients’ preferences for disclosure/nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis from a psychosocial perspective.

Evaluating psychosocial support needs of female cancer patients in the State of Qatar

Patient perceived perceptions of psychosocial support are increasingly important to understanding appropriate holistic patient-centred care. Information is scarce regarding the attitudes of female cancer patients in Arab and Muslim populations. This study was undertaken in the State of Qatar among female cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate what extent women undergoing cancer treatment in the State of Qatar view the importance of psychosocial support? Another aim of this study was to determine which demographic indicators, if any, may predict for certain preferences in support. The authors hypothesized that a majority of female cancer patients will perceive psychosocial support as an important aspect. This study used English and Arabic questionnaires to glean data from female cancer patients attending clinics at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research in Doha, Qatar. For the purpose of this study, psychosocial support was defined under four categories: 1) family support, 2) religious/spiritual support, 3) support groups 4) physician referred support. Results showed that 88% of female respondents rated psychosocial support categories as important. There was no significance between patient demographics and specific preferences for the support categories in the study. This study may provide some areas for future research that may shape guidelines for improving holistic patient care and in assisting the Supreme Health Council in meeting its targets for the Qatar National Cancer strategy, which states that cancer treatment should be patient-centred focusing on both medical and psychosocial needs of patients.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors in Chinese women with cervical cancer: a 9-month follow-up

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) studies in Chinese women with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to investigate the HRQOL trajectory in women with cervical cancer in Mainland China in the 9 months following diagnosis and to identify factors that influence HRQOL.

METHODS

Initially, 187 patients with cervical cancer were included in the study, but at each follow-up, the number declined to 128, 112, and 106, respectively. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervix (FACT-Cx) was used to collect data sequentially at the time of diagnosis (T1) and at 3 (T2), 6 (T3), and 9 months after diagnosis (T4). Medical characteristics, sense of coherence, and social support were included as factors likely to contribute to HRQOL.

RESULTS

Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervix ranged in mean from 120.30 at T1 to 126.22 at T4 (P = .001), whereas social/family well-being ranged from 23.56 at T1 to 20.23 at T4 (P = .025). In the stepwise regression with FACT-Cx as the independent variable, sense of coherence entered the equation with the highest standardized coefficients (0.554) at T1 and stage II at T2 and T3 (-0.53 and -0.26, respectively). Satisfaction with family relationships had the second highest standardized coefficient (-0.21) at T3.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall HRQOL improved, although social/family well-being deteriorated. Sense of coherence contributed to HRQOL initially, whereas disease stage and family support did so later on.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The study highlights the importance of identifying those with a low sense of coherence at the time of diagnosis. Family members should be included in caring process as a vital source of social support.

Factors contributing to poor sleep quality as perceived by heart transplant recipients in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The aims of this project were to explore the factors contributing to poor sleep quality at 1 to 3 years after heart transplantation (post-HT), and to explore economic problems and social support for HT recipients (HTRs).

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional retrospective triangulation approach combining qualitative and quantitative research method designs. Quantitative data included data from the visual analog scale and the Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Qualitative data were derived from questions that explored physiological, psychological, and economic factors contributing to poor sleep quality postprocedure for HTRs.

RESULTS

Sixty-four subjects (81% male, 19% female) participated in this research. Their ages ranged from 20 to 70 (M = 46.88 ± 12.12) years old. Their post-HT timeframe ranged from 1 to 4.10 years; 33% received preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Sleeping disturbances were reported by 72.7% of subjects after HT. Poor sleeping quality at 2 to 3 years post-HT (P = .028) was a complaint, and was worse than at 1 to 2 years post-HT (P = .008). Six physiological (62.5%) and 3 psychological (37.5%) contributing factors were further identified in qualitative interviews. Physiological factors were the major causes affecting their sleep quality 2 to 3 years after HT, whereas psychological factors arose from various family roles, responsibilities, and economic-related pressures.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical teams should find the causes that lead to sleep disturbances and use the findings to improve HTR sleep quality. When the family financial status is affected, these teams should offer assistance and suggestions for patients who are unable to work due to post-HT physical decline. Establishing and providing good family support systems or patient support groups may allow patients to obtain physical, psychological, and spiritual comfort.

Chinese women living with cervical cancer in the first 3 months after diagnosis: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

An earlier study revealed that Mainland Chinese women experienced a relatively low health-related quality of life during the first 3 months after being diagnosed with cervical cancer. This merited conducting a qualitative study to explore their experiences during this period.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of Chinese women with cervical cancer in the first 3 months after diagnosis.

METHODS

A descriptive phenomenological method was used. Fourteen participants were interviewed at the time of diagnosis and 10 were reinterviewed 3 months later. The number of interviews conducted was determined by data saturation.

RESULTS

Five themes were discerned: dealing with the emotional chaos down to the hassles caused by the disease and its treatment, handling the diagnosis and the disease in my own way and in accordance with Chinese culture, instinctively depending on my partner and experiencing improved relationships within the family but no sexual life, sharing information and support with fellow patients but hiding the diagnosis from friends and acquaintances, and returning to previous existence wanting to be treated as normal but with changed attitudes to life.

CONCLUSIONS

The lived experience was seen as a sudden life transition triggered by receiving the diagnosis. Cultural and societal contexts influenced patient adaptation to the situation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Family members and fellow patients could be mobilized to help patients since their support was highly valued. Regarding their hope for an ordinary life, patients could benefit from the relief of adverse effects and information, for instance, on how to resume sexual activity.

Treatment adherence of Chinese patients with hypertension: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

There is no research concerning treatment adherence and correlated factors using longitudinal design in China.

AIM

This article investigated the treatment adherence of patients with hypertension and examined determinants of adherence, with a focus on changes of adherence and psychosocial factors over 1 year.

METHODS

A longitudinal design was adopted to facilitate the survey of patients with hypertension across two time points.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that treatment adherence of hypertensive patients improved over 1 year follow-up. The blood pressure values of hypertensive patients decreased at time 2. The regression analysis found that time 1 treatment adherence, social support, education and duration of diagnosis were significant predictors of treatment adherence at time 2, accounting for 26% of the total variance. Time 1 treatment adherence explained 15% of the variance, social support 7%, education 3% and duration of diagnosis 1%.

CONCLUSIONS

The effective strategies targeted patients at risk are suggested to be necessary and should be designed according to the factors affecting adherence.

Social support and quality of life among Chinese breast cancer survivors: findings from a mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Social support has been identified as a significant factor positively influencing quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors. However, less is known about whether and how social support remains important among cancer survivors over the course of the survivorship trajectory.

AIM

To explore social support and its relationship with QOL in breast cancer survivors in China.

METHODS

This was a sequential mixed methods study. In Phase I, 100 breast cancer survivors were surveyed using standardized questionnaires. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between social support and QOL after controlling for annual household income and length of survivorship. In Phase II, individual in-depth interviews were conducted to understand social support experience from 29 survivors selected from Phase I. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Survivors reported a median support network size of 2.2 persons (interquartile range = 1.2-3.8) and a median support satisfaction score of 5.5 (interquartile range = 5-6). While support satisfaction was found to be associated with QOL, no association was found between support network size and QOL. Interview findings revealed that close family members and peer survivors constituted the major source of breast cancer survivors' support, especially in emotional and informational support aspects. Cultural factors played a role in the perception and utilization of support of the breast cancer survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has indicated that support satisfaction is more critical than support network size in influencing various aspects of survivors' QOL through the underlying different types of situation-specific support.

Predictors of the health-related quality of life of patients who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China

The purpose of this study was to explore the level and predictors of the health-related quality of life among patients who were newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China. A descriptive survey design was used to collect the data from 108 patients. The relationships among the variables were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses. The results indicated that the patients in this sample had a poor quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Their age, annual family income, social support, and three dimensions of the health locus of control (internal, external, and chance) correlated significantly with the global quality of life. The stepwise multiple regressions showed that only the internal locus of control was statistically significant in predicting the patients' quality of life. The results suggest that healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to demographic characteristics, such as age and family income, and personal characteristics, such as the health locus of control and social support, when treating this patient group.