Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify how cancer patients were evaluated and used coping behaviors with cancer pain. The subjects were 35 female patients who had received pain control by opioid and been mainly outpatients. Data was collected by interviews of cancer patients using two instruments ; BPI (Brief Pain Inventory) developed by Cleeland C. S. for evaluating cancer pain and the other questionnaire developed by us for coping behaviors with cancer pain. The following results were obtained :

1. Average pain that the subjects experienced the longest time in a day and living interference were important indicators for patient's evaluated with cancer pain. Increasing the use of opioid was not positively correlated with cancer pain and living interference.

2. Cancer patients were disturbed by the degree of item and pain interference of life activity in proportion to pain intensity.

3. The subjects undergoing higher than lower level of pain needed touching therapy. Physical therapy, cognition and behavioral approach with cancer pain weren't sufficiently given.

4. It was considered that tolerance prejudice against opioid, poor supporting and aging caused barriers to management of cancer pain.

5. The subjects could communicate with physicians and nurses, however they tended to reportless of their pain to their families. Physician between physician and patient had making decision with pain therapy.

These finding indicated that decreasing pain interference of life activity contributed to the relief of cancer pain and they suggested that patient and families educated to improve patient's self-care ability.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess and identify the prevalence of fatigue, severity level of fatigue and pattern of fatigue, to determine the relationship between fatigue and psychological factors thought to influence fatigue. Thirty-five cancer patients who were treated with localized radiation for the first time were surveyed by interview and participant observation in each week for 4 weeks. Thirty cancer patients who had never had radiotherapy were selected for the control group. The Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS was translated into Japanese) and two other fatigue scales were used for measuring fatigue.

The main results were as follows :

1. The PFS was identified reliability and validity .It was suggested that cancer related fatigue was associated with 4 dimensions of fatigue : behavior, affective, sensory and cognitive.

2. Cancer patients experienced a significant increase in fatigue through the 2nd to the 4th week of radiotherapy and the highest fatigue level was found in the 4th week of treatment. Eighty-six percent of cancer patients were experiencing mild to severe levels of fatigue in the 4th week of treatment.

3. Psychological distress (mood disturbance and depressive symptom) was associated with fatigue levels in the 3rd and 4th week of treatment.

These findings suggest that localized radiation treatment is associated with increased fatigue, symptoms of distress and psychological factors. By understanding these factors that relate to fatigue, nurses can plan interventions aimed at decreasing fatigue or helping the patient to live with fatigue.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine both the attitudes among terminally ill patients with cancer and family members at the hospice clinic and the information on the hospice and palliative care given to the patients and family members. The data was collected by interviews using a questionnaire or distribution of questionnaires to be returned by mail after completion.

Thirteen (86.7%) patients and 53 (91.4%) family members returned completed responses. Patients who needed to consult the hospice clinic had many symptoms of distress, and patients tended to show progressive symptoms when family members visited the clinic without the patients. In addition to anxiety concerning pain, anxiety and worry concerning timing of admission to the hospice or palliative care unit, receiving consultation and measures taken in emergencies were also high.

Medical staff provided cancer patients and family members with information on the hospice and palliative care, but it was suggested that it was too late for them to obtain such information.

This study concluded that it is necessary for terminally ill patients with cancer and family members to receive consultation, and medical staff must provide information on the hospice and palliative care at an early stage before evaluation of the results of treatment.