Heidi S Donovan1, Sandra Ward. 1. Department of Acute and Tertiary Care, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. donovanh@pitt.edu
Abstract
PURPOSE/ OBJECTIVES: To describe women's representations of fatigue and fatigue-related coping efforts by women receiving chemotherapy. DESIGN: Descriptive, correlational. SETTING: Outpatient gynecologic oncology clinic. SAMPLE: Women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. Fifty-four women were recruited; 49 (91%) completed measures. This report focuses on the 27 women who identified fatigue as one of their most noticed symptoms and subsequently completed the fatigue representations measure. METHODS: Women completed measures of key research variables at home seven days after receiving chemotherapy. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Representations of fatigue (identity, cause, timeline, consequences, cure or controllability, and emotional representation), fatigue-related coping efforts (communication with healthcare provider, adherence, and self-directed coping strategies), and overall symptom interference with life activities. FINDINGS: Women reported a mean of 13.44 different symptoms. They reported a mean fatigue identity (severity) score of 6.48 on a scale of 0-10. On a 0-4 scale, women reported mean fatigue consequences of 2.21, cure or controllability of 1.58, and emotional representations (distress) of 2.16. A majority (59%) had not communicated with their healthcare providers about fatigue at their last appointments, and 56% reported never receiving recommendations for managing fatigue. Sleep or rest was the most common strategy used for managing fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue is a prevalent, severe symptom that is perceived as distressing and uncontrollable by women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. These perceptions may be reinforced by a lack of recommendations from healthcare providers for managing fatigue. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses must make extra efforts to ask patients about fatigue and to provide self-care suggestions for coping with fatigue. Research efforts must continue to evaluate the efficacy of nursing interventions aimed at decreasing cancer-related fatigue.
PURPOSE/ OBJECTIVES: To describe women's representations of fatigue and fatigue-related coping efforts by women receiving chemotherapy. DESIGN: Descriptive, correlational. SETTING:Outpatient gynecologic oncology clinic. SAMPLE: Women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. Fifty-four women were recruited; 49 (91%) completed measures. This report focuses on the 27 women who identified fatigue as one of their most noticed symptoms and subsequently completed the fatigue representations measure. METHODS:Women completed measures of key research variables at home seven days after receiving chemotherapy. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Representations of fatigue (identity, cause, timeline, consequences, cure or controllability, and emotional representation), fatigue-related coping efforts (communication with healthcare provider, adherence, and self-directed coping strategies), and overall symptom interference with life activities. FINDINGS:Women reported a mean of 13.44 different symptoms. They reported a mean fatigue identity (severity) score of 6.48 on a scale of 0-10. On a 0-4 scale, women reported mean fatigue consequences of 2.21, cure or controllability of 1.58, and emotional representations (distress) of 2.16. A majority (59%) had not communicated with their healthcare providers about fatigue at their last appointments, and 56% reported never receiving recommendations for managing fatigue. Sleep or rest was the most common strategy used for managing fatigue. CONCLUSIONS:Fatigue is a prevalent, severe symptom that is perceived as distressing and uncontrollable by women receiving chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. These perceptions may be reinforced by a lack of recommendations from healthcare providers for managing fatigue. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses must make extra efforts to ask patients about fatigue and to provide self-care suggestions for coping with fatigue. Research efforts must continue to evaluate the efficacy of nursing interventions aimed at decreasing cancer-related fatigue.
Authors: Heidi S Donovan; Sandra E Ward; Susan M Sereika; Judith E Knapp; Paula R Sherwood; Catherine M Bender; Robert P Edwards; Margaret Fields; Renee Ingel Journal: J Pain Symptom Manage Date: 2013-09-07 Impact factor: 3.612
Authors: Kristine K Browning; Mary Ellen Wewers; Amy K Ferketich; Gregory A Otterson; Nancy R Reynolds Journal: Cancer Nurs Date: 2009 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.592