Effect of self care guideline on quality of life for women with gynecological cancer (2013)

Abstract

Women with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy face vigorous health problems that affect women quality of life. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of self care guideline on quality of life for women's with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. An Intervention study designed was utilized, conducted at gynecological oncology unit of Maternity Hospital and out & inpatient gynecological department of Radiation Oncology & Nuclear Medicine center of Ain Shams University. A purposive sample of 100 women was included in the study. They divided into two equal groups (study and control) .Data were collected through three types of tools ( a structured interviewing questionnaire sheet, the modified function assessments of cancer Therapy scale (FACT),and self-record or diary in addition to educational self care guidelines developed self- care guide line. The study revealed there were highly significant improvement of women's knowledge & practices regarding gynaecological cancer, chemotherapy side effects and there were general improvement in women's quality of life after one and three months of using self care guideline among study group as compared to control group. The study highlight that a highly significant relation between patients' total knowledge score, total self care practices score, socio demographic data, and their total quality of life score. The study concluded that self care guideline seemed to have positive impact on quality of life of women's with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. So the researcher recommended that utilization of developed self care guideline for women at out and in patients' chemotherapeutic department, Nurses should have a more positive role in raising the awareness of patients undergoing chemotherapy about the importance of self-care practices regarding chemotherapy side effects to improve their quality of life, In-service training programs are needed for nurses to provide them with the updated essential knowledge and practices about gynecological cancer, chemotherapy side effects and self care measures to manage these side effects. Further research is needed to evaluate effect of self care guide line among women with gynecological cancer undergoing other treatment modalities (radiotherapy & surgical treatment) on their quality of life.