Physical Symptoms and Psychiatric, Social, Spiritual and Economical Care Needs of Patients under Home-based Cancer Service / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify the symptoms and care needs of home-based cancer patients in Korea and to add to the scarce literature on this topic. METHODS: Data were collected from patients who subscribed to home-based cancer care services in Jinju. Assessments were performed by nurses at the local public health center. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System with a numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to identify symptoms, and a four-point Likert scale was used to assess psychological, social, and spiritual needs. RESULTS: Cross-sectional data were collected in October 2013. A total of 209 patients participated and their median age was 65 years (range, 17~89 years). Most patients were diagnosed in the early stage of cancer (n=188); only 19 patients were diagnosed in the advanced stage. More than half the patients lived alone (n=115, 55.0%) and took care of themselves (n=128, 61.2%). Anorexia and fatigue were the most common symptoms (median NRS, 5 and 4, respectively). Patients needed economic support the most, whereas spiritual care was least needed (n=138 [67.3%] vs. n=128 [62.1%], respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients who signed up for home-based cancer care services in Jinju are struggling with a financial issue and physical symptoms. A customized approach is needed to improve the quality of the home-based care services.

Assessment of the Effect of a Public Health Clinics' Home-Based Terminal Cancer Patient Management in Collaboration with a Regional Cancer Center / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: Home-based care providers were surveyed to assess the effect of collaborative service between Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center (GRCC) and public health centers (PHCs) in Gyeongnam province. METHODS: Twenty home-based care providers who had previously participated in the GRCC-PHC care project were recruited from nine PHCs and were surveyed using a questionnaire developed by specialists. Questions were rated using the 5-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree (-2)" to "strongly agree (+2)" and each score was multiplied by the corresponding number of respondents (n=20) with the maximum score of 40. RESULTS: Between January 2008 and December 2011, 73 patients were registered to the collaborative service: 72 by GRCC and one by PHC. Home-based care providers marked the highest score (23 points) to "The collaborative service contributed to patients and their family's psychological stability" and the lowest score (11 points) to "The collaborative service was generally helpful for home-based cancer management." For possible suggestions to improve the service, the highest score (35 points) was given to "Simplification of the hospitalization process" followed by "Substantial benefits for patients at their visit to the hospital" (34 points). CONCLUSION: The results revealed several limitations of the GRCC-PHC collaborative care service for terminal cancer patients. The service could be further improved by developing measures to address the limitations and a service model tailored to region-specific needs.

DRG(Diagnosis Related Group) Payment System

No abstract available.

A Comparison of Oral Sodium Phosphate and Polyethylene Glycol Solution for

BACKGROUND: Polyethylene glycol(PEG) has been the most widely used colonic lavage solution. But large volume and salty taste of PEG solution is a problem which can lead to the noncompliance and the poor bowel cleansing. Recent reports have suggested that sodium phosphate solution of much smaller volume is more effective in colon cleansing ability and more easier to complete. Therefore, this study was designed to compare two solutions for colonoscopy and to determine the differences in either patient compliance or cleansing ability. METHOD: Eighty-two patients were randomized to take either oral sodium phosphate solution or 2 liter of PEG solution. Patient's discomfort and tolerance during ingestion was asessed by questionnaire and one colonoscopist who did not know the type of solution, assessed colonic preparation status. RESULTS: Among 25 patients experiencing two separate colonoscopies with PEG solution and sodium phosphate solution respectively, 19(76%) patients preferred sodium phosphate solution. Sodium phosphate solution was found to be easier to take. Sodium phosphate caused thirst more frequently(p=0.013) than PEG solution. Particulate stool and water retention status were similar in two groups. Gas bubble formation that disturbs luminal observation was more frequently found in sodium phosphate preparation group(P=0.00). Sodium phosphate was more effective in right colon cleansing ability than PEG preparation(P=0.04). The Colonoscopist assessed sodium phosphate as "good" in 47.2% vs 58.6% after PEG preparation as a whole, but there was no statistical difference. CONSLUSION: Sodium Phosphate solution is better tolerated and more easier to take than PEG solution. Gas bubble formation is a correctable problem, but right colonic cleansing effect is not. Our results showed that sodium phosphate is likely to be more effective in colonic cleansing effect comparing to polyethylene glycol solution.

The Treatment Of Fistula-in-ano in Infants

The authors performed a retrospective review to find out optimal treatment plan in infantile fistula-in-ano. There were seventy-one patients in a 2-year period. All were male and other clinical characteristics were similar to previous reports. The onset in 60 patients(97%) of the cases was in the first 1 year of alee, especially in the first 3 months(52%). We investigated patterns of disease progression in multiple-lesion cases(19cases 29%). In 5 out of 9 cases of which we could identify the patterns, new lesion developed from 1 month to 4 months after index lesion. Fifty Patients underwent fistulotomy under principle of early surgical intervention, No recurrence was found except 2cases who needed second operation during 30 months of median follow-up(23~48 months). In 21 patients whose parents did not want operation, we performed simple drainage and followed-up. Six out of 12 patients who could be communicable had no fistula-related symptoms from 20 months to 31 months. This suggests that simple drainage has therapeutic effect in some portion of infantile abscess. We conclude that simple drainage should be initial treatment of choice in infantile perianal abscess. We suggest that definite operation for recurrent abscess and fistula with relatively mild symptoms should be delayed until 1-year of age because of interval ccurrence of multiple lesions and therapeutic effect of simple drainage.