A Structural Model of Quality of Life in Patients after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to determine a hypothetical model for the factors affecting the quality of life of postoperative colorectal cancer patients.

METHODS

We collected data from 209 patients that was analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 25.

RESULTS

Predictive variables of the hypothesis model included an exogenous variable, social support, as well as endogenous variables self-efficacy, symptoms, health promotion behavior, and quality of life. Testing of the correction model showed that significant paths directly affecting quality of life of patients after colorectal cancer surgery included health promotion behavior, symptoms, and self-efficacy and also showed an explanation power of 58.7%. Social support was found to have a significant impact on the quality of life indirectly through self-efficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve the quality of life of colorectal cancer patients, it is necessary to develop a nursing intervention program that strengthens patients' health promotion behaviors to alleviate their symptoms and improve their social support and self-efficacy.

The effect of progressive relaxation exercises on treatment-related symptoms and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy experience many symptoms, simultaneously or separately, that limit their daily living activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of progressive relaxation exercises on treatment-related symptoms and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted in a university hospital chemotherapy outpatient clinic in Turkey. The study sample consisted of 84 patients, randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 42) and a control group (n = 42). The experimental group received applied training in progressive relaxation exercises using an MP3 player. The control group received only standard nursing interventions in the chemotherapy unit. Data were collected from patients using a personal information form, a telephone counseling follow-up form, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Strategies Used by People to Promote Health Scale. Data collection tools were administered at four different times (at first interview and three times on the seventh day of the end of the chemotherapy cycle) and weekly telephone follow-ups were performed.

RESULTS

The symptom scores (frequency, severity and level of distress) significantly decreased in the experimental group, compared with the control group (p = 0.0001). Similarly, self-efficacy scores significantly improved in the experimental group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Progressive relaxation exercises were potentially effective in promoting symptom management and improving the level of self-efficacy.

Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life After Gastric Bypass Surgery: a Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Gastric bypass (GBP) is a surgical method with good evidence of sustainable weight loss, reduced obesity-related comorbidities, and improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, long-term data post-GBP is scarce on HRQoL related to other factors than weight loss, such as impact of socio-economic, age, and gender.

AIM

To investigate long-term HRQoL in GBP patients.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study covering 3 to 9 years post-GBP measuring HRQoL using RAND-36. Association to weight loss, time since surgery, gender, educational level, occupation, and age was analyzed. The participants were included on the basis that they had received a GBP that was performed by Region Skåne, the southernmost administrative healthcare region in Sweden. Recruitment to the study was by mail invitation for an online survey.

RESULTS

Of the total population of 5310 persons receiving the questionnaire, 1339 of the 1372 responders fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Those with low educational level, unemployed, persons on sick leave or disability support, and those with less weight loss reported the lowest HRQoL. The longer time since surgery, the lower the HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

Less weight loss, longer time since GBP, lower educational level, and lower degree of employment all affect HRQoL negatively after GBP surgery.

The correlation between emotional intelligence and self-esteem in patients with intestinal stoma: A descriptive-correlational study

Aim

Patients with intestinal stoma would experience some periods of psychological disorders such as self‐esteem disturbances. Self‐esteem is one of the most important factors affecting the patient's mental health. It is suggested that factors such as emotional intelligence could be related to self‐esteem. This study seeks to determine the correlation between emotional intelligence and self‐esteem in patients with an ostomy.

Design

This was a descriptive‐correlational study.

Methods

This study was conducted on 155 patients with intestinal stoma referring to the selected hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences and Iranian Ostomy Association in 2018. The patients were selected using convenience sampling method. The study tools included demographic characteristics form, Rosenberg self‐esteem scale and Schutte emotional intelligence questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in SPSS v.16 using descriptive and inferential statistics, including variance analysis and independent t test.

Results

Participants included 79 women and 76 men with the most frequency of age between 50–70 years old. 52.26% of the cases had cancer and 45.81% of the cases had inflammatory bowel disease and other related diseases. Pearson correlation coefficient results showed a positive and significant correlation between total emotional intelligence and self‐esteem (r = .56) (p = <.001).

Breast cancer post-surgical impact on women´s quality of life during chemotherapy treatment: A structural equation modelling approach

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancer is an important public health problem that is increasing in incidence, being a stressor with a negative impact on women's quality of life. This study is focused on the evaluation of temporal precursors (one month before) of women's quality of life undergoing chemotherapy, considering post-surgical personal, clinical, cognitive and neuropsychophysiological factors, according to the Transactional Stress and Coping Model.

METHODS

This longitudinal study included 112 patients with breast cancer. Data were collected in two different moments: before and during the adjuvant chemotherapy. Structural equation modelling was used to support a theoretically based model in which some antecedent factors impact patients' long-term quality of life through a set of mediators.

RESULTS

The associations of breast symptoms, body image and sexual functioning with psychological distress and quality of life were totally mediated by illness perceptions, while the associations of working memory with psychological distress and quality of life were totally mediated by self-efficacy for coping. Patients with greater psychological distress showed higher levels of nadir cortisol.

CONCLUSIONS

Results showed the importance of assessing patients' perceptions of their illness, prior to chemotherapy, as well as promoting more self-efficacy for coping, in order to improve women's emotional state and quality of life.

Correlation between self-efficacy and self-esteem in patients with an intestinal stoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with an intestinal stoma experience psychological difficulties, including disturbances in self-efficacy and self-esteem. There is evidence that they are interdependent.

AIM

This study aimed to determine the correlation between self-efficacy and self-esteem in patients with an intestinal stoma.

METHODS

A descriptive-correlational study was conducted with 155 patients with an intestinal stoma. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using demographic questions, the stoma self-efficacy scale and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and analysed using descriptive and analytical statistics.

FINDINGS

Seventy-nine men and 76 women took part; the 50-70 years age group had the highest proportion of participants. Regarding diagnosis, 52.26% had cancer and 45.81% had inflammatory bowel disease or related conditions. Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated a positive, significant correlation between total self-efficacy and its dimensions with self-esteem (P<0.001; r=0.54).

CONCLUSION

Self-efficacy is positively correlated with self-esteem in patients with an intestinal stoma. It is recommended that educational interventions are planned and implemented to boost self-esteem and self-efficacy in these patients.

Quality of life in Mexican colorectal cancer patients: analysis with sociodemographic, medical, and psychological variables

In this study, we evaluated the influence of sex, age, clinical stage, and colostomy/ileostomy variables on the quality of life of Mexican patients with colorectal cancer. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, 192 colorectal cancer patients were included in the study. Significant differences were observed in emotional functioning between patients with rectal cancer and those with colon cancer. Presence of colostomy/ileostomy was associated with significantly impaired social functioning. Body image was significantly different based on gender and diagnosis. Likewise, significant differences were observed with respect to symptoms of the general and specific quality of life modules for colorectal cancer: these included significant difference between male and female patients with respect to taste; significant difference between rectal and colon cancer with respect to presence of blood and mucous in stool, urinary incontinence, and buttock pain; and significant difference between patients with and without colostomy/ileostomy with respect to constipation, stool frequency, sore skin, and embarrassment. We observed significant correlation of dimensions of the quality of life with distress, post-traumatic stress, and optimism. Interventions for improving the quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer should be individualized based on the specific diagnosis and the presence/absence of colostomy/ileostomy.

Cancer-Relevant Self-Efficacy Is Related to Better Health-Related Quality of Life and Lower Cancer-Specific Distress and Symptom Burden Among Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

Latina breast cancer survivors (BCS) often report poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL), higher symptom burden, and greater psychosocial needs compared to non-Latina BCS. However, Latinas are underrepresented in cancer survivorship research and more work is needed to examine the factors contributing to these psychosocial disparities. This study aimed to evaluate potentially modifiable patient characteristics associated with HRQOL, breast cancer concerns, and cancer-specific distress among Latina BCS.

METHODS

Baseline data was evaluated in 95 Latina BCS who participated in a smartphone-based psychosocial intervention designed to improve HRQOL. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between modifiable factors that have been shown to favorably impact outcomes in cancer populations (i.e., cancer-relevant self-efficacy, breast cancer knowledge) with overall and domain-specific HRQOL, breast cancer symptom burden, and cancer-specific distress, after controlling for sociodemographic and cancer-related characteristics.

RESULTS

Greater cancer-relevant self-efficacy was related to better overall HRQOL as well as better social, emotional, and functional well-being domains. Greater cancer-relevant self-efficacy was also related to less breast cancer symptom burden and less cancer-specific distress. Breast cancer knowledge was not associated with any of the study outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrate that cancer-relevant self-efficacy is a significant correlate of general and domain-specific HRQOL, breast cancer symptom burden, and cancer-specific distress among Latina BCS. Future interventions in this population should target cancer-relevant self-efficacy as a possible mechanism to improve HRQOL outcomes and survivorship experiences for Latina BCS.