ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Cancer patients’ perception on the treatment they received is vital to determine their adherence to cancer treatment, but important data on how this variable affects posttraumatic growth (PTG) experience by cancer patients is lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the degree of PTG among a cohort of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors who were within first year of diagnosis and determined the association between perception of cancer treatment received (expectation and satisfaction with cancer treatment received and the feeling about the adverse effects) and PTG controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: HNC survivors were recruited from two oncology referral centres, and they were administered socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, the Malay version of the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ) (to assess the satisfaction, expectation and feeling about the adverse effects of cancer treatment received) and the Malay version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGi-SF) (to measure the degree of PTG). Results: A total of 200 HNC survivors participated in the study. The mean total PTGI-SF score was 39.5 (standard deviation [SD] = 9.3). Greater degree of positive expectation of cancer treatment and satisfaction with cancer treatment received significantly contributed to higher level of PTG, whereas feeling about side effects of treatment was not associated with PTG, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Conclusion: Incorporating psychosocial interventions (such as education on cancer treatment and counselling) into the treatment regimen may facilitate development of PTG and hence, safeguard the mental well-being of HNC patients.
ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are evolving as the leading cause of death worldwide, including in Malaysia. Changes in a socio-economic status have increased at-risk populations with NCDs. The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of self-reported NCDs and its contributing factors in a selected low socio-economic status community in Kedah, Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a self-administered questionnaire was done among convenience samples of 139 adults (age more than 18 years old) living in a selected low socio-economic status community in Kedah. Results: Among 139 respondents with a mean (SD) age 48.5 (13.1), there were 40.3% of respondents reported to have chronic illnesses with a prevalence of hypertension (25.9%), diabetes mellitus (21.6%), hypercholesterolemia (7.2%), chronic respiratory diseases (5.0%), heart disease (2.9%) and stroke (1.4%). The significant contributing factors of NCDs by multiple logistic regression were age, marital and working status. A person with an increase in 1 year of age has 1.05 times the odds to have NCDs (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.09, p-value=0.007). A divorcee has 3.55 times the odds compared to a married person to have NCDs (95% CI: 1.28 to 9.80, p-value=0.015). The non-working individual has 2.27 times the odds compared to working individuals to have NCDs (95% CI: 1.03 to 5.01, p-value=0.042). Conclusion: The prevalence of NCDs is high in this selected low socio-economic status community. The contributing factors are age, marital and working status.