A Comparative Analysis of Spiritual Care Needs Among Cancer Patients Receiving Home Care and Their Caregivers in Turkey.

This study was conducted to determine and compare the spiritual care needs of cancer patients and their caregivers. A comparative descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed in this study. The study comprised 102 patients who were registered in the hospital's home care unit, as well as their caregivers (total number = 204). The data were collected using a personal information form and the Spiritual Care Needs Inventory. The cancer patients had a mean age of 69.5 years, while their caregivers' mean age was 53.1 years. According to the results, the cancer patients needed more spiritual care than their caregivers (p < 0.01). Patients' spiritual care needs differed significantly by employment status (p < 0.05). However, gender, educational level, and marital status did not have a significant difference in the spiritual care needs of the patients and their caregivers (p > 0.05). Moderately positive and significant (p < 0.05) correlations between patients and their caregivers were found for the total Spiritual Care Needs Inventory scores (r = 0.449), the meaning and hope subscale (r = 0.378), and the caring and respect subscale (r = 0.546). It is important to evaluate the spiritual needs of patients with cancer and their caregivers. In this evaluation, it is essential to elicit the perspectives of cancer patients and their caregivers concerning spiritual needs and religion. Effective spiritual care for patients and their caregivers can only be provided if their beliefs and priorities are taken into consideration.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Cancer Patients and Determination of Affecting Factors: A Questionnaire Study.

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the use and effects of complementary and alternative medicine on cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The research was conducted in Daytime Chemotherapy Unit of the College District Outpatients in the Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital and comprised 397 patients in the oncology outpatients. Written informed consents were obtained from all participants. Among the participants, 52.6% were women, 85.1% married, 10.6% illiterate, 41.1% housewife, and 8.8% civil servants. Among the patients participated in the study, 27.7% had cancer in the family, 22.6% had gastrointestinal cancer, and 22.1% had breast cancer. Most of the patients (92.2%) resorted to religious and cultural approaches, and some patients (33.8%) used nutritional and herbal products besides medical treatment. The nutritional and herbal products used as remedy included stinging nettle (22.3%), fennel flower (20.1%), and herbal products that were advertised by herbalists in media (9.7%). It was determined that most of the patients resorting to complementary or alternative medicine were women (52.6%), housewife (51.5%), and patients with a history of cancer in the family (37.7%). Complementary and alternative medicine use as a remedy for cure is common among patients in Turkey. But when it is considered that many of these products had the potential to negatively affect cancer therapy, it is crucial that nurses providing care to cancer patients should be well informed about complementary therapies, be aware of the potential risks and benefits, and communicate openly with patients on their health care choices.

Factors affecting the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVE: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting cancer patients' quality of life. METHODS: We collected data from 352 chemotherapy patients of an Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit in a state hospital. We included volunteered chemotherapy patients with a signed informed consent and at least 50 Karnofsky Performance Scale points. We gathered data by Personal Information Form and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) and analyzed via basic descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients were women (54.8%), married (83.5%), elementary school graduates (57.1%), housewives (44.6%) and undergoing fluorouracil-based therapy (47.2%), and almost all patients had religious and cultural rituals for the disease. Women experienced worse physical and social well-being than men (P = 0.001, P = 0.0001). Singles had worse psychological and general well-being (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001). Housewives had the worst physical and social well-being (P < 0.05). No relationship existed between education level and life quality (P > 0.05). Breast cancer and sarcoma patients had the worst social well-being than other cancer patients. The N-SAS points of patients were not affected by blessings/prays, vow/sacrifice, consulting local herbalists and visiting "ocaks (folk physicians)" (P > 0.05). Patients with bad quality of life practiced lead pouring and amulets (P < 0.05). Gender was the first factor affecting the quality of life. CONCLUSION: Advanced studies on individual quality of life factors affecting cancer would empower nurses for better personal care techniques and patients for easily overcoming the disease.