Health-related quality of life, psychological issues and concerns among sarcoma survivors: a mixed method study.

Purpose: We aimed to explore the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological issues and concerns among sarcoma survivors in India and assess their satisfaction with nursing care. Methods: This study employed a sequential mixed-methods design, enrolling 100 sarcoma survivors from July to December 2021, with data collected using standardised questionnaires for HRQoL, depression, anxiety, stress, cognitive impairment and self-structured satisfaction with nursing care. Qualitative data were gathered through focused group discussions. Results: The mean global health score among sarcoma survivors was 79.48 ± 16.26. A significant number of survivors had symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression (30%), severe anxiety (12%), stress (16%) and mild cognitive impairment (5%). Significant mean rank differences were observed between anxiety and financial difficulty (p < 0.05), emotional functioning (p < 0.001), cognitive functioning (p < 0.001), pain (<0.05), insomnia (p < 0.001), fatigue (p < 0.001), anorexia (p < 0.05) and nausea/vomiting (p < 0.001). Educational qualification had a significant association with depression and anxiety while family history of cancer emerged as a significant factor associated with anxiety and stress among survivors. Qualitative analysis revealed themes related to body image, societal discrimination, socio-economic impact, marriage concerns and fertility issues. Survivor satisfaction with nursing care was good. Conclusion: A substantial number of sarcoma survivors had an average HRQoL and experienced depression, anxiety and stress. Our study emphasizes the importance of holistic survivorship care, involving nurses in post-treatment support, and addressing societal discrimination and psychosocial concerns to enhance their quality of life. Implications for cancer survivors: Our study calls for a holistic approach to sarcoma survivor care and emphasizes the importance of personalised survivorship care plans led by nurses to address the diverse needs of sarcoma survivors in India. Such plans should encompass strategies for managing depression, anxiety and stress, along with addressing body image concerns and social support.

Severity, Risk Factors and Quality of Life of Patients associated with Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) refers to numbness, tingling, and burning sensation caused by chemotherapy that can cause impairment in Quality of Life (QoL) of the patients. Study assesses severity, risk factors, and quality of life of patients associated with CIPN. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted at day care ward, tertiary care hospital India. Total of 98 patients receiving paclitaxel for ≥4 months were enrolled by convenient sampling. Data regarding demographics and clinical characteristics, CIPN severity, risk factors, and QoL were collected by structured questionnaires. Study revealed that median score of autonomic symptoms was higher than sensory and motor symptoms. Mean score of FACT/GOG-Ntx sub-domain was 99.05 ± 20.87on a scale of 0 to 152. ECOG Performance status, current exercise behavior, and fruit and vegetable intake was found to be significantly (at p < .05) associated with sensory, motor, and autonomic symptom score. Therefore, CIPN was found to have debilitating effect on QoL.

An experimental study to evaluate the effect of low-intensity intradialytic exercises on serum urea, creatinine, and fatigue of chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis.

In chronic kidney disease (CKD) toxins accumulate in the muscles and cause fatigue, mental impairment, and muscle dysfunction (cramps). Exercise results in the opening of capillaries thereby increasing blood flow and allowing greater movement of urea and creatinine from the tissues to the vascular compartment and subsequent removal through dialysis. An experimental study of 64 CKD patients (32 each in experimental and control group), six low-intensity intra-dialytic exercises (IDE) were implemented for experimental group using video demonstration at 90 min after initiation of hemodialysis (HD) repeated thrice at an interval of 10 mins. Pre- and post-HD serum urea, creatinine, and fatigue levels were assessed at baseline, two, four and six weeks. Fatigue was measured using FACIT scale. Significant difference was found between the control and experimental group in serum urea, creatinine and fatigue levels (P = 0.007, P = 0.001, P = 0.001) at six weeks post HD. The experimental group showed a significant decrease in creatinine levels from baseline to six weeks (P = 0.04). Ninety-seven percent of patients were compliant to low-intensity IDE with patients feeling better and comfortable along with decrease in felt fatigue levels. No significant association was found between duration of illness, duration of maintenance HD and comorbidities and serum urea, serum creatinine, and fatigue levels (P = 0.5, P = 0.21, P = 0.78). The present study shows low-intensity IDE when performed regularly, was effective in decreasing serum urea, creatinine, and fatigue levels of CKD patients undergoing HD with vital signs remaining within the normal range. No overt complications were reported; hence, the exercises were safe.

Mental health effects of domestic violence against women in Delhi: A community-based study.

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence (DV) against women is an all-pervasive phenomenon considered to have serious health consequences for women. This study aimed to assess the association of DV against women with their mental health status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This community-based, cross-sectional study was carried out among 827 ever married women from Delhi selected through cluster sampling followed by systematic random sampling. Data were collected using structured and in-depth questionnaires. Mental health status was estimated using self-reporting questionnaire 20. RESULTS: The prevalence of psychological, physical, sexual, physical, or sexual violence and any form of violence was very high. A quarter of the women (25.3%) reported unhealthy mental status (>8 score) in the past 4 weeks. Women who had experienced DV showed poor mental health status and more suicidal tendencies when compared with women who had not experienced violence. CONCLUSION: DV has significant effect on women's mental health underscoring the need to develop public health interventions.

Video teaching program on management of colostomy: Evaluation of its impact on caregivers.

CONTEXT: Care of a child having colostomy has not been institutionalized for a long time for economic and administrative reasons. After stoma formation, stoma care has to be provided to the child by caregivers at home. Hence, caregivers need to be provided with ongoing education and support, commencing from preoperative teaching to discharge from the hospital and home care. AIMS: The aims of this study were to develop video-based learning resource material and to evaluate its effectiveness in terms of knowledge and skill attainment by caregivers. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study design was time series, one group pretest and post test. This was conducted among 30 caregivers attending pediatric surgery outpatients and indoor departments of a tertiary level care center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A video teaching program (VTP) related to pediatric colostomy was developed and used to teach the caregivers about colostomy care. Pretested and validated knowledge questionnaire, observational checklist, and stoma assessment scale (SAS) were used to assess the knowledge and skills of caregivers before and after the administration of VTP immediately (post test 1) after and 2 weeks (post test 2) after the intervention. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni correction, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. RESULTS: There were significant increases in knowledge (from 10.9 ± 2.5 to 16.4 ± 1.67 and 15.9 ± 4.02, P = 0.001, maximum score 20) and skill scores as assessed by the observation checklist (from 5.6 ± 2.0 to 9.8 ± 1.6 and 8.6 ± 2.1, P = 0.001, maximum score 12) immediately after and 2 weeks after the VTP. However, a decline in skills was observed at 2 weeks when compared with immediate scores, as measured by the observation checklist. There was no significant increase in the skill scores of caregivers as measured by SAS at 2 weeks compared to the immediate scores. CONCLUSION: The VTP was effective in bringing about an increase in the knowledge and skill of caregivers of children having colostomy. Therefore, video can be utilized for the counselling of caregivers of children with colostomy.

Coping strategies adopted by nurses experiencing domestic violence by their marital partners.

This facility-based study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi. Thirty nurses identified to be exposed to physical or sexual violence ever in life through a pilot study were purposively selected for further studying their coping strategies. The pilot study was initially conducted among 60 ever married female nurses sampled conveniently. Data was collected using self-administered standardised questionnaire adapted from WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence. To estimate coping strategies, Section 9 of the data were analysed using SPSS 12 software. Eleven respondents (36.3%) experiencing physical or sexual violence, informed friends and close relatives about husband's violent behaviour while 40 percent talked to no one. Only 5 (16.7%) nurses sought help from formal agencies. Reasons for not seeking help mainly were considering violence as normal/not serious (20%), fear that he would end relationship (20%), fear of consequences (16.7%). Nurses mainly sought help on being encouraged by friends/family (6.7%). The study found that relatively few nurses experiencing domestic violence talk to someone or seek help from formal agencies.

A study of cardiovascular risk factors and its knowledge among school children of Delhi.

BACKGROUND: Data on the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors among Indian school children are limited. Aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and its knowledge among school children of Delhi. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional survey among 485 school children studying in classes 6, 7 and 8 in two government and one private school in New Delhi using convenience sampling. Cardiovascular risk factors (physical activity, diet and smoking), knowledge about risk factors and family profile were assessed using a structured self report questionnaire. Weight, height and blood pressure measurements were taken. RESULTS: The mean age of the studied school children was 12.8 ± 1.6 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 9.5% and 11.5% respectively. The prevalence of prehypertension, stage 1 hypertension and stage 2 hypertension was 12.4%, 6.8% and 1.4% respectively. Of the total, 43.8% were physically active for at least 1 hour per day on all 7 days of the previous week. Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables was reported by 42% and 76% of the school children respectively. Nearly 5% of the school children reported to have used any form of tobacco. One fifth of the school children had a family history of cardiovascular disease. Of the total, 25.4% had adequate knowledge regarding cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent among school children. Importantly, school children lack adequate knowledge regarding cardiovascular risk factors. School based interventions are required for cardiovascular risk reduction in childhood.

Domestic Violence against Nurses by their Marital Partners: A Facility-based Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: In recent times, domestic violence against women by marital partners has emerged as an important public health problem. OBJECTIVES: 1. To determine the prevalence, characteristics and impact of domestic violence against nurses by their marital partners, in Delhi, India. 2. To identify nurses' perceptions regarding acceptable behavior for men and women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A facility-based pilot study was conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Data were collected using self-administered standardized questionnaire, among 60 ever married female nurses working at AIIMS hospital, selected by convenience sampling. The principal outcome variables were controlling behavior, emotional, physical and sexual violence by marital partners. Data were analyzed using SPSS 12 software. The test applied was Fisher's exact test and 1-sided Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Sixty percent of nurses reported marital partner perpetrated controlling behavior, 65% reported emotional violence, 43.3% reported physical violence and 30% reported sexual violence. About 3/5(th) of nurses (58%) opined that no reason justified violence, except wife infidelity (31.67%). Of the physically or sexually abused respondents, 40% were ever injured, and 56.7% reported that violence affected their physical and mental health. CONCLUSION: There is a high magnitude of domestic violence against nurses and this is reported to have affected their physical and mental health.