Sehrish Sajjad1, Asho Ali2, Raisa B Gul3, Ahmed Mateen4, Shafquat Rozi5. 1. Aga Khan Development Network eHealth Resource Centre (AKDN-eHRC), Pakistan. Electronic address: sehrish.sajjad@aku.edu. 2. King AbdulAziz University, Saudi Arabia. 3. Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan. 4. Nuclear Medicine, Oncology & Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), Islamabad, Karachi, Pakistan. 5. Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of individualized patient education along with emotional support on the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It also aimed to determine the intervention's feasibility in the Pakistani context. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design, with pre- and post-test, in two groups, via time block, was used. The study was conducted at a public hospital in Karachi with a sample of 50 patients; 25 patients each in the intervention and control group. The intervention was delivered over a period of six weeks. It comprised verbal and written patient education, availability of a nurse during patients' chemotherapy administration and over the telephone, and a telephone follow-up of the patients by the nurse. patients' QoL was assessed at baseline and at the sixth week of receiving chemotherapy. RESULTS: Tests indicated a significant improvement in the overall QoL, breast cancer subscale scores, and the physical and emotional well-being of the intervention group, as compared to the control group. The intervention effect size was moderate (0.655) for the QoL. CONCLUSION: The intervention was found to be effective in improving patients' QoL. However, a larger study, in a multi-center setting, is recommended to ascertain the findings of this pilot study.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of individualized patient education along with emotional support on the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancerpatients undergoing chemotherapy. It also aimed to determine the intervention's feasibility in the Pakistani context. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design, with pre- and post-test, in two groups, via time block, was used. The study was conducted at a public hospital in Karachi with a sample of 50 patients; 25 patients each in the intervention and control group. The intervention was delivered over a period of six weeks. It comprised verbal and written patient education, availability of a nurse during patients' chemotherapy administration and over the telephone, and a telephone follow-up of the patients by the nurse. patients' QoL was assessed at baseline and at the sixth week of receiving chemotherapy. RESULTS: Tests indicated a significant improvement in the overall QoL, breast cancer subscale scores, and the physical and emotional well-being of the intervention group, as compared to the control group. The intervention effect size was moderate (0.655) for the QoL. CONCLUSION: The intervention was found to be effective in improving patients' QoL. However, a larger study, in a multi-center setting, is recommended to ascertain the findings of this pilot study.
Authors: Masoumeh Pourfallahi; Mohammad Gholami; Mohammad Javad Tarrahi; Tahereh Toulabi; Parastou Kordestani Moghadam Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2019-05-07 Impact factor: 3.603