Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Taiwanese Version of the Hospice Quality of Life Index.

Quality of life is an important outcome for people with cancer throughout their cancer trajectory. Having a valid and reliable instrument to measure the quality of life is critical. This cross-sectional study examined the psychometric properties of the Taiwanese version of the Hospice Quality of Life Index among patients with advanced cancer in Taiwan.

Fatigue-related symptom clusters and functional status of older adults in hospice.

Background: Fatigue is frequently co-existing with other symptoms and is highly prevalent among patients with cancer and geriatric population. There was a lack of knowledge that focus on fatigue clusters in older adults with cancer in hospice care.

Objectives: To identify fatigue-related symptom clusters in older adult hospice patients and discover to what extent fatigue-related symptom clusters predict functional status while controlling for depression.

The Mutual Effects of Perceived Spiritual Needs on Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Cancer and Family Caregivers.

Perceived spiritual needs may increase when patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers are confronted with the challenges of physical and psychological distress. Given the intertwined relationships between patients and family caregivers, their interdependence should be considered to understand how perceived spiritual needs affect the quality of life of their own and of their partner. This study used the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model as the conceptual model to investigate the mutual effects of perceived spiritual needs on the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers after being admitted to hospice.

Quality of life among women veterans.

Background: Of 23 million US veterans, 2 million are women. Female veterans often have physical and mental health disorders, but only 6.5% use the Veterans Health Administration (VA) system.

Examining the Relationship Between Patient Fatigue-Related Symptom Clusters and Carer Depressive Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Dyads: A Secondary Analysis of a Large Hospice Data Set.

Background: Most symptom management takes place in the community, conducted by patient and/or informal carer dyads with guidance from clinicians. Given the prevalence of cancer, there is a critical need for examination of the impact of managing multiple symptoms, particularly those that cluster with fatigue, on informal carers.

Objectives: To (1) examine clustering of patient fatigue-related symptom severity and distress in individuals with cancer and (2) test the hypothesis that patient fatigue-related symptom clusters (severity, distress) will be positively associated with carer depressive symptoms.

Understanding the roles of patient symptoms and subjective appraisals in well-being among breast cancer patients.

Purpose: To examine the roles of both patient symptoms, and subjective appraisals of stress (self-efficacy, symptom barriers, symptom distress), in understanding well-being (anxiety, depression, cancer-specific quality of life, mental health quality of life, and physical health quality of life) in breast cancer patients.

Methods: We examined data from 104 female breast cancer patients. Using a stress process model, we hypothesized that while high levels of patient symptoms would be associated with poorer patient well-being, these effects would be mediated by subjective appraisals, including patient self-efficacy, perceived symptom barriers, and symptom distress.

Cancer Pain and Quality of Life.

Cancer pain is an unrelenting symptom with the potential to alter the quality of life of patients. To adequately manage pain, nurses caring for cancer patients need to fully understand each patient's pain experience. The purpose of this study was to identify the intensity, distress, frequency, or constancy of pain in patients treated for cancer or cancer symptoms and to better understand patient barriers to pain management.

Mutual Effects of Depression on Quality of Life in Patients and Family Caregivers.

Objectives: To elucidate the importance of mutual effects within dyads by examining the contribution of depression on quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers (FCs).

Sample & Setting: 716 patients with advanced cancer paired with their FCs at two large, private not-for-profit hospices.

Methods & Variables: A descriptive, cross-sectional design with the baseline data of a randomized hospice clinical trial was used.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Cancer Symptom Scale in Hispanic cancer patients.

Aim: To assess the validity of the translated Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale.

Background: Instruments to facilitate comprehensive and objective assessments of the cancer symptom experience in underrepresented populations are essential.

Methods: The Cancer Symptom Scale was translated into Spanish, and a back translation was conducted.

An Academic Perspective on Publishing in Oncology Nursing.

Objectives: To describe authorship opportunities for nursing students, encourage writing for publication, and provide practical guidance on reformatting a "school" paper into a version suitable for publication.

Data Sources: Published literature, authors' experience.

Conclusion: Nursing students have unique opportunities to write for publication during, and beyond, their educational programs.

Initial evaluation of the validity and reliability of the culturally adapted Spanish CaSUN (S-CaSUN).

Purpose: There is a dearth of knowledge and limited research on the needs of Hispanic male cancer survivors (HMCSs). There is a clear need for the development of culturally and linguistically adapted needs assessment tools that are valid and reliable for use among the growing HMCS population. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to describe the field testing and psychometric evaluation of the translated and culturally adapted Spanish Cancer Survivor Unmet Needs Measure (S-CaSUN).

A Behavioral Physical Activity Intervention to Manage Moderate and Severe Fatigue Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients-Pre-efficacy Study in the National Institutes of Health ORBIT Model.

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) reduces head and neck cancer (HNC) survival rates and is the most common, severe, and distressing symptom negatively impacting activities of daily living (ADLs) dependence among HNC patients. These patients remain physically inactive after their cancer treatment, although there is consensus that physical activity mitigates CRF in cancer patients.

Objective: A home-based personalized behavioral physical activity intervention with fitness graded motion exergames (PAfitME) was evaluated for its intervention components, intervention delivery mode, and intervention contact time/duration with initial assessment of the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and outcomes.

Cultural adaptation of a supportive care needs measure for Hispanic men cancer survivors.

Objective: Research with ethnic minority populations requires instrumentation that is cultural and linguistically relevant. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Cancer Survivor Unmet Needs measure into Spanish.

Methods: We describe the iterative, community-engaged consensus-building approaches used to adapt the instrument for Hispanic male cancer survivors.

Treatment Choices: A Quality of Life Comparison in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and High-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Background: In the present exploratory, observational study, we compared the effect of intensive versus nonintensive treatment on quality of life for patients aged ≥ 60 years diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome at 1 month after treatment.

Patients And Methods: A total of 73 patients with acute myeloid leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome who had been treated at the inpatient and outpatient malignant hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, were included. Two paired measurements of self-reported quality of life were used, 1 before treatment and 1 at 1 month after treatment to compare intensive versus nonintensive treatment.

Complicated Grief: Risk Factors, Interventions, and Resources for Oncology Nurses.

Background: When a loved one dies of cancer, complicated grief (CG) may occur because of the trauma associated with family caregivers' perceptions of their loved one's suffering, either from advanced cancer or from side effects of cancer treatment.
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Objectives: This article provides an overview of CG and existing interventions for family caregivers who may be at risk for CG following the loss of a loved one and the implications for oncology nurses who provide emotional support and guidance.

Symptom Burden: Experiences of Puerto Rican Men With Prostate Cancer Prior to External Beam Radiation Therapy.

Background: Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in Puerto Rico, and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a popular treatment. Although symptom management is a clinical priority of comprehensive oncology care, symptom assessment at the time of primary or adjuvant EBRT has received limited attention.

Objectives: This article examines the prevalence and severity of symptoms experienced by 54 Puerto Rican men prior to EBRT.

A psychometric examination of an instrument to measure the dimensions of Champion's Health Belief Model Scales for cervical cancer screening in women living with HIV.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to examine the psychometric properties of Champion's Health Belief Model Scales for cervical cancer and screening among women living with HIV.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using data from an exploratory cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 300 women living with HIV receiving care at two HIV ambulatory care clinics in Florida. A 39-item adaptation of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scales was administered via paper and pencil.

Identifying factors of psychological distress on the experience of pain and symptom management among cancer patients.

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests the impact psychological distress has on symptomatic outcomes (pain) among cancer patients. While studies have examined distress across various medical illnesses, few have examined the relationship of psychological distress and pain among patients diagnosed with cancer. This study aimed to examine the impact psychological distress-related symptoms has on pain frequency, presence of pain, and pain-related distress among oncology patients.

Understanding the supportive care needs of Hispanic men cancer survivors.

Objective: To date, there is a paucity of research and information on Hispanic men cancer survivors (HMCS), who comprise part of the largest and fastest growing racial/ethnic minority group in the country. The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of the supportive care needs of HMCS.

Design: Three focus groups with a community sample of HMCS (n = 18) and interviews with providers (n = 5) were conducted to explore the supportive care needs of Hispanic men who had been diagnosed with cancer within the last five years.

Issues Faced by Family Caregivers of Hospice Patients with Head and Neck Cancers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore issues reported by caregivers of Head and Neck cancer (HNC) patients newly admitted to hospice homecare.

Methods: 26 caregivers providing hospice homecare to patients with HNC were induded. Caregiver depressive symptoms, social support and perceived health data were analyzed.

Measuring what matters: top-ranked quality indicators for hospice and palliative care from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

Context: Measuring quality of hospice and palliative care is critical for evaluating and improving care, but no standard U.S. quality indicator set exists.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy for treatment of pain secondary to symptoms of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: As many as 70% of veterans with chronic pain treated within the US Veterans Administration (VA) system may have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and conversely, up to 80% of those with PTSD may have pain. We describe pain experienced by US service members and veterans with symptoms of PTSD, and report on the effect of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), a new, brief exposure-based therapy, on acute pain reduction secondary to treatment of symptoms of PTSD.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial of ART versus an attention control (AC) regimen was conducted among 45 US service members/veterans with symptoms of combat-related PTSD.