Factors Affecting Symptom Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients: Based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms

HyoJin Kim; Sanghee Kim; Hyangkyu Lee; SangEun Oh

doi:10.5388/aon.2014.14.1.7

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Kim, Kim, Lee, and Oh: Factors Affecting Symptom Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients: Based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms

Original Article

Asian Oncology Nursing 2014; 14(1): 7-14.

Published online: 31 March 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2014.14.1.7

Factors Affecting Symptom Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients: Based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms

HyoJin Kim¹, Sanghee Kim², Hyangkyu Lee², SangEun Oh³

¹Division of Nursing, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.

²College of Nursing, Nursing Policy Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

³College of Nursing, Chonnam Research Institute of Nursing Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Sanghee. College of Nursing, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. Tel : +82-2-2228-3388, Fax : +82-2-392-5440, SANGHEEKIM@yuhs.ac

Received 12 February 2014 Accepted 26 March 2014

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting symptom experiences of breast cancer patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with based on the Unpleasant symptom Theory. Sixty breast cancer patients were recruited. We measured their symptom experiences, physiologic factors (immune system function and specific perceived symptoms), psychological factors (depression and anxiety), and situational factors (family support). After obtaining permission from the IRB, data were collected from self-report questionnaires and electronic medical records from a single cancer center. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlations and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data.

Results

The most frequent and severe symptoms were fatigue (4.47±2.99), numbness or tingling (3.67±3.08) and sadness (3.45±3.64). Symptom experiences were significantly positively correlated with psychological factors (r=.603, p<.01) and physical symptoms (r=.384, p<.01). Symptom experiences and situational factors (r=.302, p<.05) were had a significantly negative correlation. The factor that had the most impact on symptom experiences were psychological factors, followed by perceived physical symptoms. The regression model explained 44.8% of the variances.

Conclusion

Based on the results of this study, the physiological, psychological and situational factors should be considered for caring breast cancer patients.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Symptoms, Nursing Theory, Oncology Nursing

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Conceptual framework.

Table 1

Symptom Severity and Symptom Interference (N=60)

Table 2

The Degree of Symptom Experiences and Physiological, Psychological, Situational Factors

Table 3

Correlations of Symptom Experiences and Affecting Factors (N=60)

^*p<.05, ^**p<.01.

Table 4

Factors Affecting Symptom Experiences (Severity) of Breast Cancer Patients (N=60)

^*p<.05, ^**p<.001.

Notes

This article is a condensed form of the first author's master's thesis from Yonsei University.

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