Aim
To identify the characteristics of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in breast cancer patients after surgery and investigate the relationship of FCR with demographic and medical characteristics, quality of life (QOL) and social support.
Methods
The short version of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire (FoP‐Q‐SF), the functional assessment of cancer therapy for breast cancer (FACT‐B) and the Social Support Rating Scale were administered to the 342 breast cancer patients who had undergone surgical treatment. The analysis was performed to determine potential predictors associated with FCR.
Results
Of the 465 patients, 342 (73.5%) agreed to take part in the study. The mean age of participants was 51.46 ± 10.50 years (range, 30–81). Of the 342 participants, 92 (26.9%) cases were at Stage I, 131 (38.3%) cases at Stage II, 34 (9.9%) patients at Stage III and 85 (24.9%) patients at Stage IV. Among the 12 items of the FoP‐Q‐SF, the three greatest fears were: Item 10 ‘Worrying that medications could damage the body’, Item 1 ‘Being afraid of disease progression’ and Item 2 ‘Being nervous prior to doctors’ appointments or periodic examinations’. About 68.4% of patients reported the dysfunctional level of fear of progression. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that religious belief, family income, disease stages, social support, QOL were identified as independent predictors for FCR.
Conclusion
We found that FCR is prevalent in postoperative breast cancer patients, and is influenced by many factors. It is necessary to implement positive intervention measures to alleviate the FCR and improve the QOL of patients.
Background/Aim:We conducted a prospective observational study to identify the incidence of and risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation in elderly Chinese patients.Patients and Methods:We enrolled 240 outpatients over 60 years of age scheduled for elective colonoscopy at our university hospital between November 2016 and April 2017. We recorded patient demographics, bowel preparation data, and clinical characteristics. Factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation were identified by multivariate logistical regression analysis.Results:The rate of inadequate bowel preparation was 34.6%. Factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation were a history of abdominal surgery (OR, 2.617; CI, 1.324–5.174; P = 0.006), chronic constipation (OR, 3.307; CI, 1.551–7.054; P = 0.002), non-compliance with dietary instructions (OR, 2.239; CI, 1.122–4.471; P = 0.022), non-compliance with polyethylene glycol (PEG) dosage (OR, 4.576; CI, 1.855–11.287; P = 0.001), walking <30 minutes during preparation (OR, 2.474; CI, 1.261–4.855; P = 0.008), interval between PEG ingestion and the onset of bowel activity (OR, 1.025; CI, 1.010–1.040; P = 0.001), and a last stool that was not clear and watery (OR, 4.191; CI, 1.529–11.485; P = 0.005).Conclusion:The incidence of adequate bowel preparation in elderly patients is not optimal. Walking <30 minutes during the PEG ingestion period may be a surrogate for bowel preparation failure. Future studies should identify elderly patients at risk for poor bowel preparation and develop interventions to improve outcomes in this population.
The experiences described in this study contribute to a better understanding of the needs of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia children undergoing lumbar puncture. They also provide valuable information to professional medical care staff that develops future nursing assessments.
The patients' overall HRQOL was severely impaired in the early stages of posttransplantation, and patients experienced the worst HRQOL at 30 days. They had improved significantly by 180 days posttransplantation. We also found that household income, transplant-related complications, and age were independent predictors of early HRQOL.We therefore concluded that the HRQOL of HSCT patients in the early stages posttransplantation deserved more attention.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.