Effects of a Group Coaching Program on Depression, Anxiety and Hope in Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a group coaching program (GCP) on depression, anxiety, and hope in women breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 152 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving the GCP (N=76) and an untreated control group (N=76). Data collection consisted of three measurements of depression, anxiety, and hope (pre, post, and 3weeks later). The intervention was a one-time GCP consisting of 5 subparts for 30~40 minutes for a group of 3~4 people, conducted by a single nurse. RESULTS: The scores of depression, anxiety, and hope changed significantly over time (p<.001, p<.001, p<.001). Depression, anxiety, and hope changes were significantly different between the experimental and control groups (p<.001, p<.001, p<.001). There was a difference in depression, anxiety, and hope among the groups according to the implementation of the GCP (p<.001, p<.001, p<.001). In the experimental group, depression, anxiety, and hope level were significantly different between the pre- and post-test (p<.001), pre- and 3weeks later-test (p<.001), but not in the control group. CONCLUSION: The GCP for women breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy was effective in reducing depression and anxiety, and increasing hope.

A Study on Vascular Pain Due to Gemcitabine and According to Clinical Factors

PURPOSE: This study was performed to examine vascular pain due to gemcitabine and according to clinical factors. METHODS: The survey was performed with 525 cancer patients visiting chemotherapy infusion room in one general hospital. The data were collected via self-reported questionnaire, researchers observation, and reviewing medical records. Data were analyzed descriptive statistics, t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Tukey test using ranks, Jonckheere-Terpstra test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used. RESULTS: The mean scores of the intensity and onset time of vascular pain were 3.06+/-2.16 and 8.13+/-13.13 min, and each other were negative correlaton. Degree of intensity of vascular pain had a significant difference on gender (p=.003), age (p=.004), weight (p=.019), Body mass index (BMI) (p=.005), Body surface area (BSA) (p=.030), infusion time (p<.001), dose (p=.027), dose per minute (p<.001), the number of administered gemcitabine (p=.005), combination chemotherapeutic drug (p=.013) and tumor type (p=.002). Degree of onset time of vascular pain had a significant difference on infusion time (p=.044), combination chemotherapy (p=.001) and injection site (p=.001). CONCLUSION: Patients administrated gemcitabine were experiencing various vascular pain, and vascular pain had a difference on clinical factors. Therefore, oncology nurses should be considered significant clinical factors to implement effective interventions to patients administered gemcitabine.