Paper
Saturday, July 16, 2005
The Exploration of Distress Symptoms and Uncertainty for Liver Cancer Patients
Hui-Chuan Liao, RN1, Chiao-Yin Yang, RN1, Ya-Lie Ku, MSN2, Ming-Chu Chiang, MSN3, and Chao-Long Chen, MD1. (1) Liver Transplantation, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, (2) Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, (3) Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| Learning Objective #1: Understand the distress symptoms and uncertainty for liver cancer patients |
| Learning Objective #2: Understand the factors associated with distress symptoms and uncertainty for liver cancer patients |
Based on the statistics of Department of Health Executive Yuan (2004), liver cancer is the number one killer of men in Taiwan. Patients diagnosed with liver cancer will face many distress symptoms as well as examinations, side effects, and periods of treatment that lead to uncertainty. Some literature writes about the relationship between distress symptoms and uncertainty; however, few studies conducted for liver cancer patients. Therefore, this study explores the factors associated with distress symptoms and uncertainty for liver cancer patients. This cross-sectional design was conducted with a purposive sampling by surveying structure-questionnaires from July 1 to July 30, 2004 in the liver unit of a southern Taiwan hospital. Three research questionnaires are demographic information, Hsu(1996)translated Chinese Mishel Uncertainty Scale, and Lia (2002)translated Chinese Symptom Distress Scale. Both scales have developed good reliability and validity. Results indicated that 70 liver cancer patients'uncertainty as in the moderate level. Uncertainty among liver cancer patients is largely on inexplicit about what is going to happen in their lives. Additionally, fatigue is the major distress symptoms for liver cancer patients. A positive significant relationship arises between distress symptoms and uncertainty that liver cancer patients who perceived more serious distress symptoms will have higher uncertainty. Patients who practice Taoism will have a higher degree of uncertainty than those who practice Christianity. Furthermore, distress symptoms, religious beliefs, frequency of thrombosis, and average family income can explain a 33.9% variance of uncertainty as the significant predictors. Among these predictors, distress symptoms are the best and can explain a 20.1% variance of uncertainty. The investigators recommend that future studies adopt nursing interventions such as Christian spiritual power to lessen distress symptoms that lower uncertainty for liver cancer patients.