An exploratory study of hope, social support, symptom distress and quality of life among recurrent liver cancer patients

• Main Authors: Chiung Yi Peng, 彭瓊億
• Other Authors: L. C. Weng
• Format: Others
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/07828882916347595547

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 護理學系 === 103 === The purpose of this study was to explore recurrent liver cancer patient’s hope, social support, symptom distress and Quality of Life in Taiwan. This study was a cross-sectional and descriptive-correlation design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the recurrent liver cancer patients in a medical center at the northern Taiwan. Fifty patients met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in this study. The questionnaire survey and review medical record was applied to collect the data. The questionnaire included: basic demographic data chart, functional status assessment (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group -ECOG), the Chinese version of Herth Hope index (HHI-Chinese version), Wang's Chinese version of the Social Support Scale, Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-Taiwan Form), and the Chinese version of the European Cancer Treatment and Research Organizations Table (Chinese Version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life-Core 30, EORTC QLQ-C30). The results included: 1) the hope level of recurrent liver cancer patient was moderate; 2) the symptom distress of recurrent liver cancer patient was low. The highest score was “sleep disturbance” and “emotional distress”; 3) the social support of recurrent liver cancer patient was high; 4) the quality of life of recurrent liver cancer patient was moderate. The highest score was “role function”, while the lowest score was “emotional function”. The worst symptoms indictor was “insomnia” and “tired”; 5) The hope was significantly positive correlated with physiological function and overall QOL; 6) The symptom distress was significantly negative correlated with physical function, emotional function, cognitive function and overall QOL. And was significantly positive correlated with fatigue, nausea, vomiting, pain, insomnia and loss of appetite; and 7) Social support was significantly negative correlated with dyspnea in symptom indicator of quality of life. The results of this study showed that there were significant correlation among social support, hope and quality of life. The results can serve as a groundwork for the clinical care to improve the nursing care quality and thus to promote the patients’ quality of life.