Symptom Experience and Symptom Management of Patients with Advanced Cancer and Family Caregivers

Abstract

The objectives of this descriptive research were to study symptom experience in advanced cancer patients and symptom management in advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers. Sample were 96 advanced cancer patients and 96 their family caregivers. Data was collected by using personal data form, The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS-SF), and the Symptom Management Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used for analyzing the data.

Results showed that the most five symptoms that occurring were lack of energy (71.88%), pain (70.83%), constipation (65.63%), sleeping difficulty (63.54%) and lack of appetite (62.50%), respectively. The five most frequent symptoms were hair loss (2.76± 1.21, 53.44%), lack of appetite (2.65± 0.90, 56.66%), numbness/tingling arms/ legs (2.59± 1.04, 46.43%), constipation (2.49± 0.93, 44.44%), and lack of energy (2.45± 0.90, 40.58%), respectively. The five most severity symptoms were hair loss (5.34 ± 3.14), sleeping difficulty (4.85 ± 2.34), lack of appetite (4.56 ± 2.33),  I don’t look like myself  (4.56 ± 2.54), and lack of energy (4.54 ± 2.33), respectively.  In term of symptom management, both of advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers used variety strategies to manage symptoms including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies.

In summary, advanced cancer patients perceived symptoms in different dimensions including occurrence, frequency and severity. Therefore, nurses should recognize and comprehensively assess symptoms for appropriate and effective symptom management.