Hope and Symptom Burden of Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

Hope and Symptom Burden of Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

A Cross-Sectional Study

[Posted 14/Sep/2021]

AUDIENCE: Nursing

KEY FINDINGS: The level of hope for women undergoing breast cancer chemotherapy still needs to be further improved. Symptom burden can negatively predict hope.

BACKGROUND: This research aimed to explore the level of hope and symptom burden of breast cancer women undergoing chemotherapy, and predictive factors of hope were also investigated. Chemotherapy brings physical and psychological stress to breast cancer patients. As an effective coping strategy, hope gives them the courage to overcome difficulties and improve prognosis and survival. Therefore, efforts are needed to raise hope.

DETAILS: A total of 450 women who were undergoing breast cancer chemotherapy participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic data, disease characteristics, and measures of hope and symptom burden were collected using questionnaires. Hope was assessed using the validated Herth Hope Index, and the previously validated Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale was used to assess symptom burden. This paper adhered to the STROBE guidelines. Chinese breast cancer chemotherapy women hope average scores of 30.15 ± 4.82 were in the medium range of the Hearth Hope Index as specified by Herth to be 24-35. Patients with age less than or equal to 45, religious beliefs and lighter symptom burden have a higher level of hope. These variables explained a total of 22.9% of the variation in hope.

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Source: Li, Y., Ni, N., Zhou, Z., et al. (2021). Hope and Symptom Burden Of Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Clin Nurs. Published: September, 2021. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15759.