Abstract
Patients with breast cancer experience various physical symptoms and psychological distress, associated with disease and treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, which adversely affect their quality of life. This demands that nurses take a proactive role in educating and preparing patients and their family members to cope with illness.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of a nurse-led prechemotherapy education (ChemoED) programme on quality of life, and psychological distress among breast cancer patients.
Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, a parallel-group design was used with newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy for the first time at AIIMS, Rishikesh, India. Eighty patients were randomized, with 40 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (EORTC QLQ C-30) version-3, the EORTC QLQ BR-23 and the Hospital Anxiety and Distress Scale (HADS) were used to assess the quality of life and psychological distress, respectively, of the patients at baseline (before the first cycle of chemotherapy) and at the fourth cycle of chemotherapy.
Results: The mean quality of life scores were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group, in terms of global health status (p=0.00), functional scores (p=0.00), and symptom scores (p=0.00). Similarly, the mean HADS score was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p=0.05). Fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and anorexia were the patients' most reported symptoms.
Conclusion: Nurse-led prechemotherapy education programs effectively improve quality of life and reduce psychological distress among chemotherapy patients. The study also reflects the need to develop nurse-led care programs in hospitals that can prepare patients well to cope with disease and treatment in a better way.
Trial Registration: Trial REF/2019/05/025755, date of registration: 26th August 2019