• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.171-179
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify effectiveness of a BeHaS exercise program in breast cancer survivors. The subjects of breast cancer survivors participating in this research were selected from C National University Hospital. Methods: This study used non equivalent control group non-synchronized design with an experimental group (n=27) and a control group (n=31). The BeHaS exercise program consisted of theme activity, education, group support and exercise. The experimental group participated in session twice a week for ten weeks. Grip strength, perceived stress, cortisol, and self-esteem were measured. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: After the program, the grip strength and self-esteem of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group. The perceived stress of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that BeHaS exercise program played a useful role in improving breast cancer survivor's physical and psychological problem.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to develop a community-based Mind Subtraction meditation program for cancer survivors and examine the effectiveness of the developed program on quality of life, life satisfaction, and expectancy of satisfactory life in cancer survivors. Methods: This study used a one group, pretest-posttest design. A 5-week community-based meditation program for cancer survivors was offered twice a week with each session up to 2 hours. 10 cancer survivors who had completed cancer treatments participated in this study. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires and personal journals about the meditation experience from September 10 to December 11, 2015 at a health center branch in Seoul, South Korea. Results: There were statistically significant differences in physical domain of quality of life (QOL) expectancy of satisfactory life. Conclusion: This study shows that the community-based Mind Subtraction meditation program for cancer survivors can be considered as an effective nursing intervention to improve quality of life and expectancy of satisfactory life among cancer survivors in a community setting.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.289-296
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to find the levels of distress and quality of life of breast cancer survivors in Korea and to identify relationship between distress and quality of life. Methods: The data were collected from 122 breast cancer survivors in 2009. To measure the distress and quality of life, the 'Distress Thermometer and Problem List' and the 'Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast' were used respectively. Results: The mean score of distress was 4.77 (${\pm}2.35$) and 63.1% of the subjects reported a distress score of 4 or more, indicating a clinically significant level of distress. Among these, the most frequently reported problem area was emotion, followed by family. The mean score of the quality of life was 88.22 (${\pm}18.41$), signifying 6.13 out of 10. The levels of distress and the quality of life were negatively correlated (r=-.38, p<.001). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that distress is prevalent in Korean breast cancer survivors and the distress is related negatively with their quality of life. Thus oncology professionals continuously need to assess distress of breast cancer survivors and to provide appropriate psychosocial interventions to improve their quality of life.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.125-131
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This study was designed to examine the effects of horticultural therapy program on state-anxiety, fatigue and quality of life (QoL) of among women cancer survivors. Methods: Quasi-experimental study was used with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Data were collected from February to June, 2009. Participants consisted of 40 women cancer survivors in community. The experimental group participated in horticultural therapy program once a week for 18 weeks. Data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 18.0 program using ${\chi}^2$-test and t-test. Results: There were significant differences between the two groups in state-anxiety and QoL. Conclusion: The results of this study support that horticultural therapy program was effective in decreasing state-anxiety and improving QoL among women cancer survivors.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.153-165
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the literature on intervention for breast cancer survivors and their partners. Methods: The literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Pubmed, and Proquest to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding intervention for breast cancer survivors and their partners. Articles published between January 2000 and December 2011 were included. Results: A total of 14 studies were identified. Couple-base d intervention was more effective than intervention for survivors alone. Intervention to partners had also effects on their wives. Most studies were conducted in USA with Caucasian women. Sample size of intervention studies was small with most being pilot studies. Conclusion: Providing couple-based intervention to breast cancer survivors could have positive impacts on physical, interpersonal, and social aspects in breast cancer survivors. Future studies with large sample and different ethnicity are needed to confirm the effects of couple-based interventions for breast cancer survivors.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.515-524
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify whether the couple perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event, to evaluate the association among posttraumatic growth, dyadic adjustment, and quality of life and to explore the predictors affecting quality of life of the couple. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative survey design was utilized. Participants were 57 couples recruited from a national cancer center in Korea. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, McNemar test and independent t-test. On the basis of variables found to be significantly associated with quality of life, multiple regression was used to examine the simultaneous influence of multiple predictors. Results: Breast cancers survivors and spouses perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event (43.9% and 24.6%, respectively). The global quality of life was explained by perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -19.79) and posttraumatic growth (${\beta}$=0.46) in survivors, and perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -18.81) and dyadic adjustment (${\beta}$=0.53) in spouses. Conclusion: Results suggest that future research should use qualitative methods to evaluate why contemplating reasons for cancer contributed to posttraumatic growth, examine other potential predictors of quality of life such as dyadic adjustment and intimacy, and identify links between posttraumatic growth and other psychological outcomes such as distress and well-being, using prospective analyses.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.446-459
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the reported experiences of sexuality among Korean women who are breast cancer survivors. Methods: Participants of this study were 12 women who had breast cancer surgery. Data were collected October, 2010 to January, 2011 through in-depth interviews by using tape-recordings. Data were analyzed with Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological methodology. Results: From significant statements, four categories, ten theme clusters and 32 themes were extracted from the essential meaning of the sexuality experience as reported by the women participants. Within the four categories were 'Negatively changed in sexuality', 'Feeling of great loss as a woman', 'Changed martial relations with husband', and 'Turning to the happy life'. 'Overcoming sexuality caused by distress and feeling of loss' was united from four categories. Conclusion: The results of this study could help contribute to provide educational program on sexuality to improve sexual well-being and quality of life of women with breast cancer survivors and their spouses.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify the influencing factors on the quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Methods: The subjects were 159 female patients who visited out-patient department (OPD) after the mass removal surgery for breast cancer and had completed adjuvant treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy at a university hospital and a general hospital. Data collection was conducted using the Ferrell QOL scale, the Mishel uncertainty scale, the Fitts & Osgoods body image scale revised by Jeon & Kim. the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the Kang family support scale. Results: The level of QOL in the participants was in the middle. There were a significant correlation between QOL, uncertainty, self-esteem, and family support. There were significant differences in QOL with the perceived health condition and the best support person. In a regression analysis, the most powerful predictor of QOL was body image (21.7%). Altogether uncertainty and perceived health condition explained 28.6% of the variance of QOL of the participants. Conclusion: Body image, uncertainty, and perceived health condition were important predictors of QOL. These results demonstrated the need for developing interventions to improve QOL of breast cancer survivors.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyse the level of sexual function among breast cancer survivors as compared with that among healthy women. Method: A total of 208 women participated in this study: 103 breast cancer survivors attending self-help group and 105 community-residing healthy women in G city. A self-reported questionnaire with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to obtain data. Data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 14.0 $K^+$ for descriptive statistics, t-test, and two-way ANOVA. Results: The sexual function score of breast cancer survivors was significantly lower than that of healthy women, respectively $14.9{\pm}9.9$ and $20.6{\pm}11.1$ (p<0.001). The sexual function of recurrent breast cancer survivors was significantly lower than that of women without recurrence. However, there were no significant differences in the sexual function score according to the cancer stage, period since diagnosis, and types of cancer treatment modality. Conclusion: The findings indicate the importance of sex-related counseling and educational programs to improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.50-58
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge structure of cancer survivors. Methods: For data, 1099 articles were collected, with 365 keywords as a Noun phrase extracted from the articles and standardized for analyzing. Co-occurrence matrix were generated via a cosine similarity measure, and then the network analysis and visualization using PFNet and NodeXL were applied to visualize intellectual interchanges among keywords. Results: According to the result of the content analysis and the cluster analysis of author keywords from cancer survivors articles, keywords such as 'quality of life', 'breast neoplasms', 'cancer survivors', 'neoplasms', 'exercise' had a high degree centrality. The 9 most important research topics concerning cancer survivors were 'cancer-related symptoms and nursing', 'cancer treatment-related issues', 'late effects', 'psychosocial issues', 'healthy living managements', 'social supports', 'palliative cares', 'research methodology', and 'research participants'. Conclusion: Through this study, the knowledge structure of cancer survivors was identified. The 9 topics identified in this study can provide useful research direction for the development of nursing in cancer survivor research areas. The Network analysis used in this study will be useful for identifying the knowledge structure and identifying general views and current cancer survivor research trends.