Decision-making experiences regarding kidney transplant among older adults in South Korea: A qualitative descriptive study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the decision-making experiences of older patients with end-stage renal disease who chose to undergo kidney transplantation. METHODS: This was a qualitative descriptive study.Twelve participants aged over 60 years who underwent kidney transplantation were recruited from a kidney transplant clinic in a hospital in South Korea. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted from March to April 2021. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four main themes were identified: 1) hesitation towards complex and risky kidney transplant, 2) internal suffering due to social prejudice and limits, 3) taking a step back from the decision-making process, and 4) being rushed into a decision on the brink of death. CONCLUSION: Older patients with end-stage renal disease experience hesitation and difficulties and are passive in the decision-making process for a kidney transplant. They lacked sufficient relevant information and decided to receive transplant surgery, feeling pressured by the recommendations of family and healthcare providers. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare professionals should help older patients with end-stage renal disease make proactive decisions by providing tailored education programs and improving communication between the patients and their family members. Changing negative social perceptions and implementing supportive policies are necessary to resolve the difficulties experienced by such patients. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patients were involved in the data collection as interview participants in this study.

Cardiovascular risk trajectory and its associated factors among candidates on the waiting list for deceased-donor kidney transplantation: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for wait-listed kidney transplant candidates. Since cardiovascular risk is related to a variety of factors and may change with time, longitudinal changes in cardiovascular risk and related factors in candidates need to be investigated. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the trajectory of the cardiovascular risk score and its related factors in patients on the waiting list for deceased-donor kidney transplantation (DDKT). METHODS: This longitudinal study enrolled 144 patients who were registered as candidates for a DDKT at a transplant center in South Korea. During the 5-year follow-up period, 3 candidates on the waiting list were transferred to other hospitals, 19 candidates died, and 31 candidates received kidney transplantation. RESULTS: Approximately 26.6 % of the candidates had a high level of cardiovascular risk, and this increased to 53.2 % after 5 years. A high risk of psychosocial status (ß=0.351, p=.026) was the most significant predictor of cardiovascular risk, followed by higher comorbidity (ß=0.263, p<.001). Comorbidities were a significant factor associated with cardiovascular risk throughout the 5-year period, whereas the duration of dialysis and waiting time were significant only within 1 year after baseline. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk during 5 years on the waiting list for DDKT was associated with multidimensional factors, including psychosocial status before transplantation, comorbidity, waiting time for transplantation, and the duration of dialysis. In addition to managing comorbid conditions, shortening the waiting time and duration of dialysis is important for reducing cardiovascular risk during the long-term care of candidates on the waiting list for DDKT.

Long Term Effects of a Social Capital-Based Exercise Adherence Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors With Moderate Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports on the long-term effects of the Better Life After Cancer: Energy, Strength, and Support (BLESS) program, a 12-week social capital-based exercise adherence program for breast cancer survivors (BCS), implemented using a randomized controlled trial design. The study investigated outcomes related to cancer-related fatigue (CRF), quality of life (QOL), physical activity, depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and social capital. METHODS: Participants who had moderate or greater CRF were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 24), consisting of supervised and home-based exercise, or the control (n = 26), who received exercise leaflets. Generalized estimating equations models were fitted for the outcome variables. The assessment points were baseline (M1), immediately after completing the intervention at 12 weeks (M2), 1 month (M3), and 6 months post-intervention (M4). RESULTS: A significant reduction in the total CRF score was found for both groups. We observed a significant time by group effect at M2, indicating a reduction of behavioral/severity CRF scores and a higher increase of physical activity. Also, there was an increase in the QOL score of both groups at M2, M3, and M4, compared to M1. Both groups had reduced anxiety at M3 and M4 compared to M1. The time by group effect for depression, sleep quality and social capital was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This 12-week exercise adherence program improved behavioral/severity CRF and physical activity post-intervention. Both the experimental group and control group showed significant improvements in CRF, QOL, and anxiety domains compared to the baseline, which extended to 6 months post-intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Korean Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0005763).

Experiences of Using Patient Decision Aids for Decisions About Cancer Treatment: A Meta-Aggregation of Qualitative Studies.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent results have been found regarding the effects of patient decision aids (PtDAs) in supporting patients' decision-making for cancer treatment. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative meta-aggregation presents the experiences of using PtDAs, as perceived by adult patients with cancer, and highlights the components they perceived as important. METHODS: We used the 3-phase process for meta-aggregation suggested by Joanna Briggs Institute to identify published studies with qualitative evidence from CINAHL, Ovid-MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases. The selected studies involved adults with various cancer diagnoses. The phenomenon of interest and the context for this review were people's experiences of using PtDAs for decisions about first-line cancer treatment. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were included. The authors achieved consensus on 5 synthesized findings about PtDAs: (1) improved understanding of treatment options and patient values and preferences; (2) served as platforms for expressing concerns, obtaining support, and having meaningful conversations with healthcare providers; (3) facilitated active personal and family engagement in decision-making; (4) enabled recall of information and evaluation of satisfaction with decisions; and (5) presented potential structural barriers. CONCLUSIONS: This study used qualitative evidence to demonstrate the usefulness of PtDAs and identify aspects patients with cancer find particularly beneficial. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses play a crucial role in supporting patients and family caregivers throughout the decision-making process for cancer treatment. Patient decision aids that balance complex treatment information with simple language and illustrations or graphs can enhance patients' comprehension. The integration of values clarification exercises into care can further improve patients' decisional outcomes.

Hematologic toxicities, sarcopenia, and body composition change in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of body composition and sarcopenia status could provide evidence for more sensitive prediction of chemotherapy toxicities and support mitigation of the negative impacts of chemotherapy. This study evaluated associations among hematologic toxicities, sarcopenia, and body composition change in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study employed data from 298 breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We evaluated two abdominal computed tomography scans before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy to identify body composition change. As hematologic toxicities, severe (grade 3 or 4) anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were assessed throughout the treatment period using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 5.0). RESULTS: Participants experienced severe neutropenia (23.5%), anemia (7.1%), and thrombocytopenia (0.7%) during chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, the group with sarcopenia had double the anemia prevalence of the group without sarcopenia (p < 0.001). The group with anemia had significantly decreased skeletal muscle index (SMI, p = .0013) and subcutaneous fat index (SFI, p = .0008). Almost 50% of the sarcopenia group treated with an AC-T (weekly) regimen (combined anthracycline and cyclophosphamide followed by a weekly taxane) had neutropenia. Multiple logistic regression showed that the AC-T (weekly) group had higher neutropenia prevalence than other regimen groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings of higher anemia prevalence in breast cancer patients with sarcopenia and decreased SMI and SFI after neoadjuvant chemotherapy provide evidence of a relationship between anemia and body composition change. Early screening and combined consideration of body composition change, sarcopenia status, and chemotherapy regimen could improve clinical outcomes.

Community-based death preparation and education: A scoping review.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a need for people and communities for death preparation. Few studies have examined community-level interventions for death preparation and education. This scoping review scrutinized the relevant literature following PRISMA 2018 guidelines. Six databases were searched for articles published between 2010 and 2020. We found that cultural, socioeconomic, and individual values affected death preparation and that online courses and life-death education were effective preparation methods. Additional research is needed to identify the population-specific effectiveness of interventions. To fully investigate death preparation and education at the community level, theory-based studies employing quantitative and qualitative methods are also needed.

The Effectiveness of Sarcopenia Interventions for Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Among people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, generalized loss of muscle mass, termed secondary sarcopenia , is associated with treatment toxicities and physical disability. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide an overview of current interventions for sarcopenia in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to assess potentially effective interventions. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) Plus, and EMBASE for primary original research of exercise and nutrition interventions for sarcopenia published in English. The review used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. Standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as effect measures by applying the random-effects model. RESULTS: The 6 included studies showed a trend toward significantly increasing skeletal muscle mass after intervention (mean difference, 0.168; 95% CI, -0.015 to 0.352; P = .072), with no significant changes in lean body mass loss after intervention (mean difference, -0.014; 95% CI, -1.291 to 1.264; P = .983). Resistance exercise and combined exercise and nutrition intervention were more effective at preserving or increasing muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS: Early implementation of a resistance exercise intervention or a combined exercise and nutrition intervention is a promising strategy for avoiding muscle mass loss during chemotherapy. Additional evidence-based assessments of interventions for secondary sarcopenia are needed to identify the most effective approach. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: In clinical practice, oncology nurses should frequently assess cancer patients' muscle mass and when warranted should implement the most feasible early sarcopenia intervention to minimize the adverse outcomes of this condition.

Health Belief Model Constructs Affect Influenza Vaccine Uptake in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

This secondary analysis explored how the constructs of the health belief model affect influenza vaccine uptake in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). In the parent study, a total of 180 KTRs were recruited at an organ transplant center in South Korea. A nonlinear path analysis using generalized structural equation modeling was performed. Previous influenza vaccination had a direct effect on their behavior, while cues to action alone did not directly affect their behavior. Perceived benefits played a key role as a mediator in improving influenza vaccine uptake in KTRs. This study highlights the need for health professionals to assess perceived benefits at the individual level and provide patient-centered interventions based on a consideration of theoretical mechanisms. As cues to action, recommendations for recipients' first vaccination after kidney transplant should focus on changing patients' perceptions of benefits by emphasizing the positive aspects of the influenza vaccine for immunosuppressed patients.

Hypnosis and relaxation interventions for chronic pain management in cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Nonpharmacological interventions such as hypnosis show promising evidence for the self-management of pain and pain-related sequelae among cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 4-week recorded hypnosis intervention in reducing pain intensity compared to a recorded relaxation intervention in cancer survivors with chronic pain. METHODS: Adult cancer survivors were randomly assigned to listen to hypnosis (n = 55) or relaxation recordings (n = 54) daily for 28 days. Primary (pain intensity) and secondary outcomes (pain interference, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance) measures were completed pre- and post-treatment. Treatment effects were evaluated using a series of analyses of covariance. RESULTS: Both hypnosis and relaxation provided significant and moderate to large improvements in the primary outcome and the secondary outcomes of pain interference and anxiety (ds = 0.44-0.88). The hypnosis group also experienced a moderate improvement in fatigue (d = 0.47) and sleep disturbance (d = 0.54). The effect size for pain reduction from pre- to post-treatment for the hypnosis group was d = 0.86 and for the relaxation group, d = 0.88. There were no significant between-group differences in primary and secondary outcomes from pre- to post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results support that recorded hypnosis and relaxation interventions are similarly effective in reducing pain and the pain-related sequelae of pain interference and anxiety among cancer survivors with chronic pain. The hypnosis intervention also reduced fatigue and sleep disturbance. Audio recordings can provide a convenient delivery method of nonpharmacological interventions to self-manage chronic pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03867760, registered March 8, 2019.

Does neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen affect sarcopenia status in patients with breast cancer?

BACKGROUND: Low muscle mass, or sarcopenia, predicts poorer treatment outcomes in breast cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the main treatment to improve surgical outcomes for breast cancer, yet few studies have assessed the relationships between different chemotherapy regimens and sarcopenia. This study compared body composition change between two neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens: AC-T (anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide followed by a taxane) and TCHP (docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab). METHODS: This study included 298 patients with breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2017 and 2020 at one university hospital. Body composition was assessed by computed tomography. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine predictors of SMI change. RESULTS: Patients receiving TCHP showed a significant mean skeletal muscle index (SMI) decrease of 1.6 cm2/m2 (SD = 3.5, p < .001); patients receiving AC-T showed no significant change in mean SMI. The TCHP group also showed significantly decreased visceral and subcutaneous fat mass, while the AC-T group showed increases in both. The TCHP group had significantly more patients with newly diagnosed sarcopenia after neoadjuvant chemotherapy than the AC-T group (12% vs 1%, respectively). Chemotherapy regimen was the only significant predictor of muscle mass loss, and the TCHP group's mean SMI decrease was 3.124 greater than that of the AC-T group (p = .015). CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving TCHP have a higher risk of muscle mass loss than those receiving AC-T. Considering the severe SMI decline observed in the TCHP group, further prospective studies are called for to examine treatment-induced sarcopenia and its relationship to body composition.

Body composition change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Background: Sarcopenia is receiving attention in oncology as a predictor of increased chemotherapy toxicities. Research into body composition change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is both urgently needed and generally lacking. This study assessed sarcopenia prevalence before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using CT imaging, evaluated body composition changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and determined predictors of sarcopenia status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, descriptive study, we used data collected from 2017 to 2020 to measure body composition parameters on cross-sectional CT slices for 317 Korean women with breast cancer patients before and at completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Changes in skeletal muscle index, visceral fat index, subcutaneous fat index, and sarcopenia were assessed and correlated, and multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify predictive factors associated with sarcopenia status at completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Of the 80 breast cancer patients (25.2%) who had sarcopenia before beginning neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 64 (80.0%) retained their sarcopenia status after chemotherapy. Weight, body mass index, body surface area, and visceral fat index showed significant increases after neoadjuvant chemotherapy; notably, only skeletal muscle index significantly decreased, showing a reduction of 0.44 cm2/m2 (t (316) = 2.15, p <.5). Lower skeletal muscle index at baseline was associated with greater loss of muscle mass during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (r = -.24, p <.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that baseline sarcopenia status was the only significant predictor of sarcopenia status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p <.001). Specifically, the log odds of sarcopenia after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were 3.357 higher in the baseline sarcopenia group than in the group without baseline sarcopenia (ß = 3.357, p <.001). Conclusion: Sarcopenia during neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be obscured by an increasing proportion of fat in body composition if clinical assessment focuses on only body mass index or body surface area rather than muscle mass. For breast cancer patients who have sarcopenia when they begin neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the risk of muscle mass loss during treatment is alarmingly high. To reduce masking of muscle mass loss during treatment, comprehensive evaluation of body composition, beyond body surface area assessment, is clearly needed.

Comparing Disease-Specific and Generic Quality of Life in Korean Breast Cancer Survivors Using the FACT-B and QLI: The Importance of Instrument Selection.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) has become an important indicator for evaluating patients' symptoms and their overall satisfaction with life. Thus, examining QOL is essential for fully understanding the life satisfaction of breast cancer survivors (BCS). However, selecting the appropriate instrument for QOL measurement is challenging, and few studies have compared disease-specific and generic QOL measures and how they reflect the impact of cancer-related symptoms on QOL in BCS. We examined QOL in BCS using both disease-specific and generic instruments and compared their representation of the QOL impacts of anxiety, depression, sleep, fatigability, and posttraumatic growth. METHODS: This study involved analysis of follow-up data for an exercise intervention called the BLESS (Better Life after cancer, Energy, Strength, and Support) program, which included 40 BCS treated at 1 medical center in South Korea. Their QOL was assessed using both the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Quality of Life Index (QLI). RESULTS: Both FACT-B and QLI total scores revealed that Korean BCS had low levels of QOL. Furthermore, both FACT-B and QLI total scores were significantly related to anxiety, depression, sleep, fatigability, and posttraumatic growth in the participants. Notably, multivariate regression analysis of FACT-B and QLI total scores showed different predictors for QOL: with the FACT-B, depression was the only significant predictor, while with the QLI, posttraumatic growth was the only significant predictor. CONCLUSION: The selection of a given QOL instrument may affect the overall findings and interpretation of the impacts of related symptoms. The FACT-B should be considered for studies of symptoms such as depression, while the QLI is more appropriate for examining overall QOL and posttraumatic growth.

Predictors of Health Promotion Behaviors Among Working Adults at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome has a high global prevalence, affecting 26% of South Koreans. Lifestyle modifications have shown benefits in studies involving health behavior enhancement, specifically through workplace eating and exercise interventions. However, workplace interventions focusing on health behaviors have been inadequately explored. OBJECTIVES: This study examined factors affecting health promotion behaviors of workers at high risk of metabolic syndrome by applying Theory of Planned Behavior constructs (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention). METHODS: This correlational cross-sectional study collected survey data from 164 hotel workers in South Korea. The study applied factor analysis and structural equation modeling for the data analysis. RESULTS: Analysis revealed five health promotion behaviors: exercise, making healthy food choices, avoiding fatty foods, eating a nutritious and balanced diet, and eating regular moderate meals. Participants were grouped as total participants, those with one risk factor, and those with two risk factors. In the "total" group, four behaviors were influenced by perceived behavioral control: exercise, making healthy food choices, eating a nutritious and balanced diet, and eating regular moderate meals. In the "one risk factor" group, intention and attitude influenced the eating regular moderate meals behavior, and two other behaviors were influenced by perceived behavioral control: exercise and eating a nutritious and balanced diet; in the "two risk factor" group, only perceived behavioral control directly affected exercise. DISCUSSION: Perceived behavioral control was a key predictor of health behaviors, and theory constructs partially explained behaviors. Perceived behavioral control influenced four behaviors and influenced exercise in all three groups. Also, theory constructs showed a greater effect on behaviors in the one risk factor group than in the two risk factor group, indicating that participants with one risk factor more effectively managed their behaviors on their own and with healthcare providers' support. Occupational health providers should conduct early assessments of workers showing metabolic syndrome risk factors to identify their particular risks, intention, and behaviors. As the number of risk factors affects behaviors and perceived behavioral control primarily influences exercise, these findings should be incorporated in metabolic syndrome interventions.

Translation and linguistic validation of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale for Korean breast cancer survivors: A cognitive interviewing study.

Background: Fatigability-the perception of fatigue contextualized to activities of fixed intensity and duration-has received growing attention in oncology research. Objectives: This study aimed to translate and linguistically validate a Korean-language version of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale. Methods: Following the Linguistic Validation Manual for Health Outcome Assessment, we applied a multi-stage cognitive interviewing (CI) method to ensure accurate translation and interpretation of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale. After forward- and backward-translation were completed, three rounds of CI regarding the translated instrument were performed with 18 participants having or not having breast cancer. Results: The first round of CI showed that seven items of the 10-item Korean-language instrument required revision to reflect the physical abilities of breast cancer patients with similar levels of physical activity. After the second round, two additional items were revised to reflect the cultural context and gender roles. During the third round, all participants exhibited full understanding of the Korean-language instrument. Conclusions: The translated instrument, its quality enriched by cross-cultural linguistic validation in combination with CI, can be effectively used to assess perceived physical and mental fatigability. Implications for Practice: Use of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale can facilitate oncology nurses' assessment of perceived fatigue levels in cancer patients and can expand understanding of how patients' fatigue perceptions are related to their exercise capacity. Foundational: This study is valuable as an example of how a multi-stage CI process can be effectively applied in cross-cultural oncology research.

Does the Association Between Fatigue and Fatigue Self-management Preference Vary by Breast Cancer Stage?

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a major issue facing breast cancer survivors (BCS) that can negatively impact their symptoms and quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to examine levels of fatigue, identify preferred types of fatigue self-management, and explore the relationship between fatigue levels and management choices by cancer stage. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 229 BCS recruited from 5 hospitals in Korea. The study inclusion criteria were limited to BCS between 20 and 69 years old in stages 1, 2, or 3 who were undergoing or had completed active therapy. The Revised Piper Fatigue Scale and a questionnaire developed for fatigue management were used for data collection. RESULTS: The stage 2 group experienced more fatigue (mean, 5.31) than the other cancer stage groups, and significant differences in fatigue were found between stages 1 and 2 (P < .001). Fatigue self-management choices showed different correlations with fatigue levels in each stage. Physical activity control was most frequently used in stage 1, whereas exercise was most frequently used in stages 2 and 3. Multivariate regression analysis showed that exercise consistently and effectively decreased all fatigue dimensions. CONCLUSION: Stage 2 BCS experienced the greatest level of CRF, and fatigue levels and management choices differed in BCS by cancer stage. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Recognizing how CRF and patients' preferences for fatigue self-management may differ by cancer stage can alert clinicians in assessing CRF and tailoring effective fatigue management for BCS.

Quality of Life and Prolonged Symptoms in Korean Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: A culture of serious overwork in South Korea, more than other developed countries, may impact symptoms and quality of life (QOL) experienced by Korean breast cancer survivors (BCS). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine health-related QOL and influencing factors in BCS in Seoul, Korea, who have recovered from treatment for at least 1 year and returned to normal life and work. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 199 BCS completed a self-administered questionnaire in Seoul, Korea. RESULTS: Mean QOL scores were lower than expected, with 49% of the variance explained by depressive symptoms, physical fatigability, cognitive impairment, and social support. Psychological distress was high (67.8%), along with anxiety (47.2%) and depressive symptoms (36.7%). Participants reported a high prevalence of physical fatigability (71.1%), sleeping an average of only 6 hours per night, with 58.9% reporting poor quality sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life was lower in Korean BCS than comparable studies in the United States, although participants received care at a premiere medical center. Depressive symptoms and anxiety were common and did not taper off over the 5 years after diagnosis, unlike BCS elsewhere. Korean survivors experienced significant physical fatigability, much higher than reported in a US study of mixed male and female cancer survivors. Overwork was not a significant predictor of QOL, although 30% of employed women reported working 45 to 90 hours weekly. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings demonstrate the importance of continued efforts to mitigate these symptoms in clinical survivorship care, as well as future research, to provide avenues for improving QOL for BCS, particularly in Korea.

Funeral Experience in South Korea: A Phenomenological Study.

Few studies of death preparation in South Korea are available. This article describes South Koreans' experiences of death and a funeral in a hospital setting to improve health care providers' ability to care for dying patients and their family. Using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, we conducted semistructured interviews with 40 South Koreans who had lost a family member in a hospital setting. Participants' statements were classified into 12 themes, 5 theme clusters, and 3 categories: (a) vagueness of funeral culture, (b) distortion of meaning in funeral culture, and (c) the need to prepare for death and process grief. Our findings are relevant to hospital-based health care providers who care for dying patients and their family. Targeted educational information could help health care providers better serve patients and family. Policy changes could improve quality of care by allowing health care providers to transition with the family from hospital units to a hospital-based funeral setting.

Acupuncture Improves Multiple Treatment-Related Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Acupuncture has demonstrated effectiveness for symptom management among breast cancer survivors. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on treatment-related symptoms among breast cancer survivors. Methods: The authors searched PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE for relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for managing treatment-related symptoms published in English through June 2021. They appraised the quality of each article using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Criteria. The primary outcomes were pain, hot flashes, sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, lymphedema, and neuropathy as individual symptoms. They also evaluated adverse events reported in acupuncture studies. Results: Of 26 selected trials (2055 patients), 20 (1709 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. Acupuncture was more effective than control groups in improving pain intensity [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.60, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -1.06 to -0.15], fatigue [SMD = -0.62, 95% CI -1.03 to -0.20], and hot flash severity [SMD = -0.52, 95% CI -0.82 to -0.22]. The subgroup analysis indicated that acupuncture showed trends but not significant effects on all the treatment-related symptoms compared with the sham acupuncture groups. Compared with waitlist control and usual care groups, the acupuncture groups showed significant reductions in pain intensity, fatigue, depression, hot flash severity, and neuropathy. No serious adverse events were reported related to acupuncture intervention. Mild adverse events (i.e., bruising, pain, swelling, skin infection, hematoma, headache, menstrual bleeding) were reported in 11 studies. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that acupuncture significantly reduces multiple treatment-related symptoms compared with the usual care or waitlist control group among breast cancer survivors. The safety of acupuncture was inadequately reported in the included studies. Based on the available data, acupuncture seems to be generally a safe treatment with some mild adverse events. These findings provide evidence-based recommendations for incorporating acupuncture into clinical breast cancer symptom management. Due to the high risk of bias and blinding issues in some RCTs, more rigorous trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture in reducing multiple treatment-related symptoms among breast cancer survivors.

Psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale in breast cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Fatigability has recently emerged in oncology as a concept that anchors patients' perceptions of fatigue to defined activities of specified duration and intensity. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (K-PFS) for women with breast cancer. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 196 women with breast cancer recruited from a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the K-PFS. Four goodness-of-fit values were evaluated: (1) the comparative fit index (CFI), (2) the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), (3) the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and (4) the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR). RESULTS: Of the 196 survivors, 71.1% had greater physical fatigability (K-PFS Physical score ≥ 15) and 52.6% had greater mental fatigability (K-PFS Mental score ≥ 13). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total K-PFS scale was 0.926, and the coefficients for the physical and mental fatigability domains were 0.870 and 0.864, respectively. In the confirmatory factor analysis for physical fatigability, the SRMR value (0.076) supported goodness of fit, but other model fit statistics did not (CFI = 0.888, TLI = 0.826, and RMSEA = 0.224). For mental fatigability, although three goodness-of-fit values were acceptable (CFI = 0.948, TLI = 0.919, and SRMR = 0.057), the RMSEA value (0.149) did not indicate good model fit. However, each item coefficient was statistically significant (> 0.5), and the K-PFS was therefore found to be valid from a theoretical perspective. CONCLUSION: This study provides meaningful information on the reliability and validity of the K-PFS instrument, which was developed to meet an important need in the context of breast cancer survivors. Additional research should examine its test-retest reliability and construct validity with performance measures.

Comparison of fatigue and fatigability correlates in Korean breast cancer survivors and differences in associations with anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and endocrine symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is one of the most common and burdensome symptoms experienced by cancer patients. In interventions intended to reduce fatigue in such patients, fatigability, or perception of fatigue contextualized to activities of fixed intensity and duration, may also be measured. This study investigated the effects of a 15-month intervention on fatigue and fatigability in breast cancer survivors (BCS); explored the fatigue-fatigability relationship; and evaluated the impacts of fatigue and fatigability on anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and endocrine symptoms. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was applied to an exercise program called BLESS (Better Life after cancer, Energy, Strength, and Support). The intervention included this 12-week exercise program and four follow-up contacts intended to promote exercise adherence over the following year. Participants were women aged 20 to 69 who had been diagnosed with stage I, II, or III breast cancer; had completed active treatment; and had moderate or higher fatigue. At the completion of the intervention, the survey responses of 40 BCS were evaluated using the chi-square test and multiple regression analysis. The Korean versions of the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale and Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale were used to measure fatigue and fatigability, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in fatigue or fatigability between the experimental and control groups at intervention completion. However, the control group showed a stronger association than the experimental group between fatigue and physical fatigability. In the control group, fatigue and fatigability were significantly associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and endocrine symptoms. In the experimental group, only the cognitive/mood fatigue score and depression were significantly associated. Only endocrine symptoms influenced mental fatigability (B = - 0.185, P < 0.05), and only depression influenced cognitive/mood fatigue (B = 1.469, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue and fatigability showed different correlations with cancer-related symptoms after the exercise intervention. Future assessments of fatigability in intervention studies will allow measurement of the spectrum of patients' abilities to overcome fatigue at various physical activity levels while capturing different aspects of cancer-related symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered on Clinical Research Information Service ( KCT0005763 ; date of registration: 31/12/2020).