Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Preventing Infection Among Patients With Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Oncology patients receiving chemotherapy are at a high risk for developing infections. Identifying factors that predict infection practices among these patients can help improve the quality of care provided. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to infection prevention in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 170 patients with cancer. RESULTS: The majority of participants had a low to moderate level of knowledge, with high levels of attitude and practice related to infection prevention. Knowledge was a significant predictor of attitude and practice, while attitude was a predictor of infection prevention practices. Knowledge and attitude emerged as mutual predictors, which could explain 23% of the variation in practice toward infection prevention (R2 = 0.230, P = .00). CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicated that both knowledge and attitude were powerful predictors of practice toward infection prevention.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Thai Human Papillomavirus Beliefs Scale.

In this study, we developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Thai Human Papillomavirus Beliefs Scale. The Scale was tested on 386 young women aged 18-24 years in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Content validity of the Scale was evaluated by a panel of experts, construct validity was determined using exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was assessed for stability and internal consistency. Factor analysis provided empirical support for the existence of four factors, which accounted for 67.7% of the total variance: perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. Cronbach's α reliability coefficients for the four subscales ranged from 0.59 to 0.86. Factors predicting intention to receive the papillomavirus vaccine were perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. The Thai Human Papillomavirus Beliefs Scale demonstrated promising psychometric properties, indicating that it might be a useful instrument for assessing young women's human papillomavirus and cervical cancer-associated beliefs, and for predicting human papillomavirus vaccination intention.

Factors influencing acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccine among young female college students in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: To determine knowledge and beliefs related to human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and vaccination among young Thai women, and thereby identify independent predictors associated with acceptance of HPV vaccination. METHODS: A convenience sample of 747 young women aged 18-24 years was recruited from universities and colleges located in the upper northern region of Thailand. An online questionnaire was performed to assess demographics; HPV and cervical cancer-related health characteristics; and knowledge and beliefs toward HPV and cervical cancer. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of HPV vaccine acceptance. RESULTS: Knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer was moderate. The mean total knowledge score was 7.5 ± 3.8. Acceptance of the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with having received a recommendation for vaccination (odds ratio [OR] 2.12; 95% CI, 1.22-3.68); perceived susceptibility to disease (OR 1.37; 95% CI, 1.22-1.52); perceived benefits of vaccination (OR 1.33; 95% CI, 1.19-1.49); and perceived seriousness of disease (OR 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81-1.00). CONCLUSION: Understanding variables associated with acceptance of HPV vaccination may guide immunization initiatives and so increase the uptake rate among young Thai women.

Human papillomavirus vaccination intention among young women in Thailand.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to examine knowledge and beliefs regarding HPV and cervical cancer and to predict HPV vaccination intention among young women in Thailand using a cross-sectional descriptive study design. METHODS: An online survey was carried out to obtain young women's demographic, HPV and cervical cancer-related health characteristics, knowledge, and beliefs toward HPV and cervical cancer of a sample of young women aged 18-24 years (n = 391) recruited from universities/colleges located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant independent predictors of HPV vaccination intention. FINDINGS: Five participants (1.2%) had received at least one shot of the HPV vaccine. Of 386 participants, 218 (56.5%) reported high intention to obtain the HPV vaccine. Young women's knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer was moderate, with a mean knowledge score of 7.89 (SD, 3.99; range, 0-15). Knowledge was significantly and positively related to perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived benefits of HPV vaccination, but negatively related to perceived barriers to HPV vaccination. Participants with a higher level of knowledge were significantly more likely to obtain the vaccine. A multivariate logistic regression model identified predictors of HPV vaccination intention: recommendations from significant others, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and feeling embarrassed about getting the HPV vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Health education efforts are needed to promote further understanding of HPV and cervical cancer, particularly with more attention to HPV vaccination.

Symptom management in patients with cancer of the female reproductive system receiving chemotherapy.

This study was conducted to examine the feelings, symptom management, and needs of patients with gynecological cancer receiving chemotherapy at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. During the period July 2006 and June 2007, 286 patients were recruited. The most common chemotherapeutic regimen was paclitaxel and carboplatin followed by single carboplatin and weekly cisplatin. Five severe and frequent complications were as follows: alopecia, anorexia, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Some 41.9% could well tolerate with such complications but 50.3% had various feelings including irritability, boredom, dejection, fear, stress, and anxiety. Anorexia was the symptom that the majority of them could best manage, 17.4% by eating as much as they can and 32.6% by selecting different foods from normal, such as fruit, sweetmeats, noodles, milk. For nausea and vomiting, 31.3% managed by eating fruit, drinking sour juice, and holding sour fruit in mouth, and 16.0% used the breathing method, eating something cold, such as ice-cream, or hot food like noodles. For health needs, 41.0% needed encouragement, care, health education, and information from doctors and nurses, and 5.0% needed care and encouragement from their family, and sympathy from neighbors and colleagues. In conclusion, gynecological cancer patients receiving chemotherapy experience a variety of feelings, symptom management. and health needs. Nurses need to explain the pathology of the occurring symptoms so that the patients can understand and accept the symptoms to lessen their negative impact.