Effect of an Internet support program on uncertainty in illness in breast cancer survivors / 中华护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of an Internet support program on uncertainty in illness in breast cancer patients after operation. Method One hundred and nineteen breast cancer patients after surgery who were discharged from Shanghai Cancer Hospital were assigned into the control group (63 cases) and the intervention group (56 cases). A 12-week Internet support program was offered to the patients in the intervention group, while the patients in the control group received the routine follow-up. Measurement of uncertainty in illness was taken at the sixth week and the twelfth week after the baseline survey. Results The total score of the uncertainty in illness as well as the factor scores of ambiguity and lack of information showed downward trend in both the intervention group and the control group, and the three indexes in the intervention group declined more rapidly than those in the control group. The scores of the three indexes in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group at the twelfth week. Conclusion The Internet support program which offers abundant information, multi-disciplinary cooperation and real-time interaction intervention is an effective approach in reducing uncertainty in illness for breast cancer survivors.