Effect of Self-Care Guidelines on Chemotherapy Associated Symptoms for Patients with lung Cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is common cancers worldwide. In view of the high-symptoms burden and sever morbidity, Effective symptoms management requires comprehensive self –care strategies Aim: of this study was to assess the effect of self-care guidelines on chemotherapy associated symptoms for patients with lung cancer study design: A quasi experimental design was utilized. Subject: A purposive sample of (50) patients with lung cancer were recruited and divided into two groups (study and control group). Setting: This study was conducted at the outpatient clinics in Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Center, affiliated to Ain Shams University. Tools: 1- An interview questionnaire to assess ,a- Patient's socio demographic characteristics, b- Patient's medical health profile, c- patients knowledge about lung cancer .2- symptoms burden assessment and 3- patients' self-care practices assessment. Results: the present study revealed that more than third of the patients in the study and control groups had satisfactory level of knowledge pre implementation of self-care guidelines which improved to the majority of the study group post implementation. There were statistically significant negative correlations between patients' total symptom severity and practice in the study group pre and post self-care guidelines implementation, there were statistically significant positive correlations between patients' total practice and knowledge in the study group pre self-care guidelines implementation while, post self –care guidelines implementation it become highly significant positive correlation, there were highly statistically significant negative correlations between patients' total symptoms severity and total knowledge in the study group pre and post self-care guidelines implementation Conclusion: self-care guidelines have a statistically significant positive effect on decreasing severity of lung cancer symptoms While, some chemotherapy-associated symptoms were slightly improved but there were no significant differences between pre and post self-care guidelines implementation. Recommendations: Health education programs about disease and its management should be provided for lung cancer patients.