ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gastrectomy affects different aspects of functionality and impacts on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with gastric cancer. The importance of appropriate assessment of QoL in cancer patients is well established, yet strategies that help improve this important patient outcome are relatively scarce. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of a brief self-care education program to improve QoL of gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy. METHODS: Using a randomized controlled trial, 59 patients with gastric cancer and candidate for gastrectomy were randomly assigned either to an intervention group (n = 31) to participate in a brief self-care education program or to a usual-care group (n = 28). Data were collected on patient demographics, and QoL was measured by the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-STO22 at baseline and 1 month after gastrectomy. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant between-group differences in any subscales of the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-STO22. However, participants in the brief self-care education program showed significant improvements from baseline in the global health status-QoL scale (t = 2.243, ð < .05), experience of pain (t = 2.508, ð < .05), constipation (t = 2.773, ð < .05), and the experience of dysphagia at the follow-up assessment. LIMITATIONS: This study is likely to be underpowered to show differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: A brief self-care education program was not sufficient to significantly improve the quality of life patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.
