Unfolding and displaying the influencing factors of advance directives from the stakeholder's perspective: A concept mapping approach.

AIMS: To develop a culturally relevant conceptual map to discover perceptions of a statutory form of advance directive (AD) for Hong Kong Chinese. DESIGN: This was the first study on AD using a concept mapping approach with two phases. METHODS: The data collection of the two phases was conducted from February 2016-February 2017. In Phase I, 96 participants were recruited using purposive sampling. In Phase II, multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to create a concept map based on quantitative data. RESULTS: The map depicted six clusters of factors affecting the acceptance of AD, with their importance rating in decreasing order: Conditional factor, value system, process of AD, physical and illness factor, personal situation factor, and socio-cultural factor. CONCLUSION: The study adopted a comprehensive approach to unfolding the multi-faceted factors affecting the acceptance of ADs by stakeholders. Strategies targeting the clusters could be developed to facilitate the discussion and completion of AD.

Comparison of health-related quality of life and emotional distress among Chinese cancer survivors.

The purpose of this study is to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and emotional distress among diverse cancer survivors who had completed all treatment within the previous year. A convenience sample of 353 cancers survivors (lung, head and neck, breast and prostate cancers) were recruited to complete a survey, which consisted of (i) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales; (ii) Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General version; and (iii) demographic and clinical data. The HRQoL scores were similar among the four types of survivors. Mild anxiety and depression levels were reported, but no significant difference was noted. Younger females with financial burdens and uncertain prognosis were particularly associated with HRQoL and emotional distress. Further studies are essential to identify specific problems that cancer patients experience after cancer diagnosis that might lead to the early detection of those most at risk of ongoing problems.