Breast Cancer Screening Practice and Health-Promoting Behavior Among Chinese Women

PURPOSE: This study examined breast cancer screening practice and health promoting behaviors and the predicting factors of breast cancer screening practice in Chinese women. METHODS: A correlational research design was used to recruit a convenience sample of 770 women living in four cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi'an) in China. Participants completed self-report questionnaire consisting of general characteristics, breast cancer screening, health promoting behaviors, perceived benefits and perceived barriers. RESULTS: The participants were mostly 36-55 years old (51.3%), married (86.8%), premenopause (77.7%), had children (83.4%), and breastfed (73%). About 60% of Chinese women participated in some type of breast cancer screening practices, among them only 60 (7.8%) women used mammography, ultrasonogram and breast self-examination. The main reason for doing breast cancer screening was "feeling necessary for the screening". About 36% of the participants reported they did not perform any of screening practices, because they "don't feel it necessary". The women who had breast cancer screening regularly reported better health promoting behavior and perceived benefits and less perceived barriers than those who did not (F = 10.45, p < .001). Logistic regression showed that model 1 (age, higher education, being employed) and model 2 (perceived benefits and health behaviors) were the significant predicting factors (p < .05), explaining 10-13.8% of variance in breast cancer screening practice. CONCLUSION: On the basis of these results, public education about importance of breast cancer screening and health promoting behavior should be strongly advocated by health professionals and mass media in China.

A Study to Identify Contents of the Journal through Review of Classification of Sectional Editorship / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide data for development of the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing through reviewing classification of sectional editorship. METHODS: Descriptive statistical analysis was used, to identify content then, the classifications of sectional editorship were reviewed. RESULTS: The categories, "Basic concepts of nursing" (30.2%:17.9%), "Needs for comfort" (15.9%:13.1%), "Nursing education" (12.7%:12.7%), and "Needs for activity and exercise" (7.1%:7.1%) were most frequent through both the 1st and 2nd sectional editorship. CONCLUSION: Classification of sectional editorship was developed to clarify the educational purpose of fundamentals of nursing, and was modified through reflections by researchers. The current classification of sectional editorship is not a permanent formula, so using various viewpoints in further examination is needed.

The Effect of BeHaS Be Happy and Strong Program on Self Esteem, Fatigue and Anxiety in Postoperative Care Patients with Breast Cancer / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify effects of the BeHaS program on self esteem, fatigue and anxiety in postoperative care patients with breast cancer who had surgery with, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, with or without current hormone therapy. METHODS: This study was a 2-group quasi-experimental research study with a pre and post test design. Fifty-four patients with breast cancer were assigned to the experimental (n=29) or control group (n=25). The BeHaS program which strengthens self esteem through support over a 90-minute period, consists of theme activity (30 minutes), education (15 minutes), group support (15 minutes) and exercise (30 minutes). The experimental group participated in the program once a week for 10 weeks, but the control group was not involved. Data were gathered from October to December, 2008 using a questionnaire with measures of self esteem, fatigue and anxiety. Data were analyzed using t-test with SPSS Win 12.0 to identify differences between the groups. RESULTS: Self esteem was significantly increased (p= .001) and fatigue significantly decreased (p= .013) in the experimental group. But there was no significant difference in anxiety (p= .868). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the BeHaS program for patients with breast cancer had beneficial effects on self esteem and fatigue.

Health-related Quality of Life of Patients with Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: This study was a latitudinal descriptive effort to understand the degree of quality of life of patients who had undergone a rectal cancer operation. METHODS: The Korean versions of European Orgaization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)-Quality of life Questionnaire 30 (QLQ-C30) and Colorectal Cancer-specific Core Questionnaire (QLQ-CR38) were used to examine the degree of quality of life of patients who had undergone a rectal cancer operation. The subjects of this study were 155 patients who had been diagnosed as having rectal cancer and who had received an anterior resection (AR), a low anterior resection (LAR), or an abdominoperineal resection (APR). RESULTS: In our study, patients' responses were combined and converted to a 0-100 scale according to the guidelines provided by the EORTC Center. From these guidelines, high functional scores (0-100) represent good function and high symptom scores (100-0) signify more problems. The APR patients had their social and family life disrupted (social functioning) and were less able to get about and look after themselves (physical functioning), and they felt themselves to be less attractive (body image). In addition, the scores for stoma problems were worse than those for pain and for male sexual problems. The AR patients and the LAR patients, despite suffering diarrhea, symptoms of insomnia, and defecation problems, had better quality of life than the APR patients without anorectal function. CONCLUSION: If the quality of life of rectal cancer patients is to be maintained and their rate of survival is to be increased, an understanding of the patients' situation, education on self-management related to stoma, and active provision of support from medical teams to solve the discomfort caused by the operation are needed.

Oncologic Result as According to Tumor Regression Grade after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NCRT) in cases of locally advanced rectal cancer include tumor downstaging with respect to a curative resection and a decreasing incidence of local recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the oncologic results according to the tumor regression grade (TRG) after NCRT and radical surgical resection in cases of locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: From 1999 to 2003, 140 consecutive patients, who suffered from locally advanced rectal cancer (T3 or T4, or lymph node positive) were enrolled in this study. They all received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy and a radical resection. Chemotherapy was based on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the total radiation dose was 5,040 cGy over 6 weeks. A radical surgical resection, including a total mesorectal excision, was done 6 to 8 weeks after the completion of NCRT. We classified patients into subgroups by using the TRG; then, we investigated the overall and the disease-free survival rates and the local recurrence and the distant metastasis rates. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-six (126, 90%) patients responded to radiation therapy. According to the TRG, the numbers of non- responders (Grade I, NR), partial responders (Grade II, PR), and patients who went into complete remission (Grade III, CR) were 14 (10%), 98 (70%), and 28 (20%), respectively. The overall survival (OS) and the disease-free survival (DFS) rates for 3 years (n=140) were 91.43% and 74.29%, and the rates for 5 years (n=117) were 81.20% and 67.52%, respectively. While there was no significant difference in the 3-year OS or DFS between the three groups stratified by TRG (P=0.1136, P=0.1215), the 5-year OS and DFS showed a statistical difference (P=0.0485, P=0.0458). Furthermore, the 3-year OS and DFS rates (P=0.0451, P=0.0458), as well as the 5-year OS and DFS rates (P=0.0139, P=0.0131) were significantly better for patients in the CR group than for the other patients. Still, no statistical significance differences existed between the CR group and the non-CR groups or between the TRG groups in terms of the local recurrence and the distant metastasis rates (P=0.447, P=0.271). CONCLUSIONS: Any tumor response group that shows complete Rremission after NCRT and radical surgical resection has an oncologic benefit in overall survival and disease- free survival in our study.

A Study on Behaviors for Preventing Recurrence and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to identify behaviors preventing the recurrence of breast cancer and the level of quality of life. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted using a structured questionnaire from November 1, 2006 to December 25, 2006 . One hundred and twenty two women breast cancer survivors were recruited by convenience sampling. RESULTS: The most frequent behavior for preventing recurrence of the breast cancer was dietary treatment (90.9%) and exercise (86.8%) was the second behavior. In addition, most of them perceived these behaviors as 'very effective' (82.8%). The degree of the quality of life of a breast cancer survivor was 5.34 point indicating a 'medium level'. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors pursued various behaviors for preventing recurrence of breast cancer. Therefore, the nursing interventions should be focused on a systematic educational approach considering healthy behaviors to prevent breast cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors.

Spiritual Wellbeing and Life Attitude of Breast Cancer Patients / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: This research was conducted to explore the relationship between spiritual well being and life attitude among breast cancer patients who were operated, and to increase understanding for wholistic nursing care. METHOD: With spiritual well being from quality of life questionnaire in breast cancer survivors (QOL-BR 23) of Ferrell et al (1998) and Life attitude profile (LAP) of Recker & Peacock (1981), the data were collected by research assistant in a sample of 56 women with stage 1-stage 3 breast cancer at surgery OPD after follow-up care. RESULT: Mean spiritual wellbeing score of subject was 5.83 (0-10) and life attitude was 4.96 (1-7). There were significant differences in life attitude according to monthly income (F=3.22, p=.03), and in spiritual wellbeing according to monthly income (F=4.16, p=.01) and religion (t=-3.67, p=.001) among demographic characteristics. There was significant difference in spiritual wellbeing according to the period passed after operation (F=2.89, p=.04) among disease characteristics. From life attitude domain, the mean score of "will to meaning" was the highest (5.30) and "existential vacuum" was the lowest (4.58). There was a significant relationship between spiritual wellbeing and "will to meaning" subscale of life attitude (r=.521, p=.000). The correlation coefficient showed r=.513 between spiritual well being and life attitude. CONCLUSION: Nurses could promote positive life attitude for breast cancer patients by improving spiritual well being with the encouragement of having religion expecially for long term breast cancer survivors in the process of their rehabilitation.