Influence of peer support education on psychological adaptation of breast cancer patients / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the influence of peer support education on psychosocial adaptation and psychological distress of breast cancer patients.Methods:Using non-simultaneous experimental research methods, a total of 51 breast cancer patients admitted to the department of breast surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June to August 2019 were selected as the control group, and 53 breast cancer patients admitted from September to December 2019 were selected as the intervention group. The control group received routine education, while the intervention group received peer education on the basis of routine education. After 4 months of intervention, the differences of psychosocial adaptation and psychological pain were compared between the two groups.Results:After 4 months of intervention, 49 cases in the control group and 51 cases in the intervention group completed the study. In the psychosocial adaptation scale, the scores of anxiety/depression, self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-control and self-efficacy belonging in the intervention group were (29.43±2.83), (32.08±3.07), (28.10±2.62), (28.08±3.27), (31.53±3.73) points, which were higher than (27.67±3.96), (30.14±2.54), (25.94±2.91), (25.16±2.95), (30.02±2.70) points in the control group after the intervention, and difference statistically significant ( t values were -4.680 to -2.312, P<0.05). The score of psychological pain in the intervention group (2.37±1.15) points was significantly lower than that in the control group (3.57±0.98) points, and difference was statistically significant ( t value was 4.867, P<0.05). The number of patients with mild and moderate psychological pain in the intervention group was 51 cases accounting for 100% (51/51), which was higher than 48 cases accounting for 98% (48/49) in the control group, and difference was statistically significant ( χ2 value was 12.272, P<0.05). Conclusions:Peer education can effectively improve the psychosocial adaptability of breast cancer patients and reduce their pain level.