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Learning Objective 1: the learners will be able to know the symptom distress, uncertainty level, and depression status among gynecologic cancer patients.
Learning Objective 2: the learners will be able to know the predictors of uncertainty, and depression in gynecologic cancer patients.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 110 patients who diagnosed gynecologic cancer were recruited from a 647 beds general hospital in southern Taiwan. Data was collected from March 2012 to November 2012 by face to face interview using self-reported structured questionnaires. Outcome measurements included Mishel Uncertainty scale (MUS), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD; depression is defined as a score of 16 and above), and symptom distress.
Results: The results indicated that 49.1% of the gynecologic cancer patient had depression. There were significant correlation between CESD and uncertainty. In stepwise regression model, three factors were the predictors of overall uncertainty, included symptom distress (16.5%), cancer stage IV (5.5%) and diagnosed cervical cancer(4.1%), and account for 26.1% total variance. Two factors were the predictors of depression, included uncertainty (38.4%), and symptom distress (5.3%) and account for 43.7% total variance.
Conclusion: This study might provide appropriate educational care, to improve the quality of patient care. Health care professionals are responsible to provide appropriate nursing intervention to decrease the uncertainty level, and to improve patient’s depression.