• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4081-4086
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• 2012

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is prevalent among individuals with cancer, especially breast cancer survivors. This study was conducted among 394 breast cancer survivors in selected regions of Peninsular Malaysia to identify the pattern and factors associated with CAM use. About 51% of the respondents reported CAM use as complementary treatment. Vitamins (47.2%), spiritual activities (33.2%) and other dietary supplements (30.7%) were the most commonly used CAM therapies. Common reasons for CAM use were to increase the body's ability to perform daily activities (70.9%), enhance immune function (58.3%) and improve emotional well-being (31.7%). Users obtained CAM information mainly from friends and family members (62.5%), physicians (25.0%) and mass media (13.9%). Ethnicity and years of education were significantly associated with CAM use. Although no adverse effects of CAM were reported, breast cancer survivors should discuss their CAM use with health professionals to prevent potential adverse effects of these therapies.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.285-293
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• 2011

Purpose: In this study, the effects of laughter therapy on levels of depression, quality of life, resilience and immune responses in breast cancer survivors were examined. Methods: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. Participants (n=37) included breast cancer survivors who finished chemotheraphy and radiation therapy: 16 in the experiment group and 21 in the control group. Data were collected from August to November 2009. The experimental group participated in laughter therapy eight times, twice a week for 60 min per session. Questionnaires were used to me-asure pretest and posttest levels of depression, quality of life and resilience. A blood test was used to analyze changes in Total T cell, T helper, T suppressor, Th/Ts ratio, Total B cell, T cell/B cell ratio and NK cell for immune responses. Results: The results showed that laughter therapy was effective in increasing the quality of life and resilience in breast cancer survivors. but depression and immune responses did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that laughter therapy may be an effective nursing intervention to improve quality of life and resilience in breast cancer survivors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1479-1485
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• 2015

Background: Even after completion of conventional treatment, breast cancer survivors continue to exhibit a variety of psychological and physical symptoms, affecting their quality of life. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between socio-demography, medical characteristics and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) of a sample of breast cancer survivors in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: This pilot cross-sectional survey was conducted among breast cancer survivors (n=40) who were members of Breast Cancer Support Group Centre Johor Bahru. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to identify the relationships between socio-demography, medical characteristics and HR-QOL of the participants. Results: Living with family and completion of treatment were significant predictive factors of self-rated QOL, while living with family and ever giving birth significantly predicted satisfaction with health and physical health. Psychological health had moderate correlations with number of children and early cancer stage. Survivors' higher personal income (>MYR4,500) was the only significant predictor of social relationship, while age, income more than MYR4,500 and giving birth significantly predicted environment domain score. Conclusions: The findings suggested the survivors coped better in all four HR-QOL domains if they were married, lived with family, had children and were employed.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2020

Purpose: This study investigated lifestyle, depression, marital intimacy, and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer survivors, with the goal of identifying the impacts of these factors on QoL. Methods: A sample of 146 breast cancer survivors was surveyed in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from March 20 to May 30, 2019, using self-report structured questionnaires at a hospital located in Jeonju, Korea. Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis. Participants agreed to complete a face-to-face interview, including administration of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21-Depression Scale, Marital Intimacy Scale, and Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer tool. Results: QoL was positively correlated with lifestyle (r=.49, p<.001) and marital intimacy (r=.45, p<.001) and negatively correlated with depression (r=-.72, p<.001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that depression (β=-0.63, p<.001), marital intimacy (β=0.19, p=.001), and lifestyle (β=0.13, p=.031) had significant effects on the QoL of breast cancer survivors, accounting for 63.3% of variance in related QoL. Conclusion: This study provides insights into how breast cancer survivors' QoL was influenced by depression, marital intimacy, and lifestyle. To improve the QoL of breast cancer survivors, healthcare providers should consider developing strategies to decrease depression, to increase marital intimacy, and to improve lifestyle.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.613-621
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• 2009

The purposes of this study were to evaluate symptom experience and quality of life (QOL) and to identify the predictors of QOL among breast cancer survivors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 disease-free breast cancer survivors at two hospitals between December 2007 and July 2008. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-B, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-short Form and The Linear Analogue Self Assessment Scale were used to assess symptom experience and QOL in these patients. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation, t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: The mean score of QOL for breast cancer survivors was 95.81 (${\pm}18.02$). The highest scores among physical and psychological symptoms were sexual interest and anxiety. Year since treatment completion was significantly associated with QOL in sociodemographic variables. Physical and psychological symptoms have a significant negative association with QOL. The results of the regression analyses showed that physical and psychological symptoms were statistically significant in predicting patients' QOL. Conclusion: Symptom experience and QOL are essential variables that should be acknowledged when delivering health care to breast cancer survivors. More attention to the reduction and management of psychological distress could improve QOL among breast cancer survivors.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.533-544
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• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to examine levels of physical activity, anthropometric features, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Korean breast cancer survivors who reported changes in their diet after diagnosis. Methods: A total of 380 women who had been diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer and had breast cancer surgery at least six months before the interview were included. Participants provided information on dietary change after diagnosis, post-diagnostic diet, physical activity, anthropometric measures, and HRQoL through face-to-face interview. We assessed HRQoL levels of breast cancer survivors using a validated Korean version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Breast Cancer Module (BR23). We used the logistic regression and generalized linear models to identify the associations of dietary changes in relation with physical activity, anthropometry, and HRQoL. Results: The majority of participants (72.6%) reported that they have changed their diet to a healthier diet after diagnosis. Breast cancer survivors who reported to have change to a healthy diet had higher intakes of vegetables and fruits and lower intakes of red and processed meats, and refined grains than those who did not. Also, survivors with a healthy change in their diet were more likely to engage in physical activity (top vs. bottom tertile: odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.02-3.36) and have lower body mass index (BMI) (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98 for one $kg/m^2$ increment in BMI) compared to those who did not. We found that a healthy change in diet was associated with higher scores of physical functioning (p=0.02) and lower scores of constipation (p=0.04) and diarrhea (p=0.006) compared to those who did not. Conclusions: Healthy changes in diet after breast cancer diagnosis may be associated with lower levels of BMI, and higher levels of physical activity and HRQoL.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of depression, optimism and posttraumatic growth on health-related quality of life in female breast cancer survivors received adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: In total, 115 female breast cancer survivors participated in this descriptive correlational study. The participants answered self-report questionnaires. Data were collected from 1 June 2020 to 10 June 2020, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS for Windows ver. 24.0. Results: The mean age of the breast cancer survivors was 45.83 years. The mean score for the degree of health-related quality of life was 81.85 out of 148 points. Participants' scores for health-related quality of life differed significantly based on economic status (F=5.36 p=.006) and hobbies (t=-3.37, p=.001). Health-related quality of life was negatively correlated with depression (r=-.73, p<.001), and positively correlated with optimism (r=.65, p<.001) and posttraumatic growth (r=.28, p=.002). Depression (𝛽=-.55, p<.001) was the most significant factor that affects health-related quality of life, followed by optimism (𝛽=.29, p<.001), and post-traumatic growth (𝛽=.12, p=.048), which together accounted for 62.2% (F=63.61, p<.001) of the variance. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop educational programs for breast cancer survivors to reduce depression, increase optimism and post-traumatic growth, and improve the health-related quality of life. By adapting these programs, positiveness may increase and this may lead to improvement of health-related quality of life for breast cancer survivors.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.823-833
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to take a closer look at the clothing benefits sought by breast cancer survivors in Korea. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, using the focus group interview. Data was collected from members of online breast cancer forum. 18 participants were breast cancer survivors who had mastectomy or lumpectomy in their 30s~50s. The data was analyzed using content analysis in order to identify significant themes. The analysis indicated that benefits were sought after functional/comfort, health, feminity, and compensation were found. First, breast cancer survivors considered functional/comfort to be most important benefit so as to keep the body comfortable from the weather. Second, participants put the healthy body as the first priority and chose a well-being lifestyle and were likely to wear clothes made in healthy fabric, such as organic, bamboo or charcoal. Also, they preferred to look active by wearing sport brands or outdoorwear brands. Third, after the surgery, they experienced the sense of femininity loss and the sense of crisis as a woman. Single women and married women in early 30s recognized more seriously, and they tried to recover feminity by wearing clothes with feminine details. Forth, breast cancer survivor consumers tended to shop for the psychological compensation. In summary, consumers with breast cancer surgery, unlike general healthy women, did not sought to be economic, fashion, self-expression benefits, rather they sought health, femininity, and compensation benefits. Therefore, it seems necessary to develop proper products and marketing strategy to meet the said consumer's special needs.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to understand the characteristics and the meaning of the illness experience of breast cancer survivors as basic data for the development of an intervention program. Methods: The participants were 25 breast cancer survivors who had completed treatment at a tertiary hospital in Seoul. Data were collected through in-depth and unstructured audio-recorded interviews by the investigator. The participants were asked to describe their illness experience. The data were analyzed according to Giorgi's method for phenomenological analysis. Results: The interview data were organized by theme into 6 categories that emerged from the analysis. The themes were acceptance of the illness, active coping with reality, gaining strength through the support of surrounding people, struggling to overcome a negative mindset, self-reflection, and the pursuit of a meaningful new life. Conclusion: We recommend the development of a survivorship program based on self-reflection, which can engender self-transcendence and spiritual well-being.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.155-181
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore 1) the illness experiences, 2) health behaviors (causal thoughts), and 3) health beliefs (health behavior changes after cancer diagnosis) among Korean breast cancer survivors using focus groups, which is a form of qualitative research methods. Thus, this study intended to understand how the illness experiences and health beliefs are associated with health behaviors. Three focus groups composed of 16 breast cancer survivors living in Seoul and GyeongGi were conducted with 5 to 6 people in each group. For illness experiences, health beliefs, and health behaviors of breast cancer survivors, some major themes related to physical, behavioral, psychological, and social domains were identified. Understanding health beliefs and health behaviors for Korean breast cancer survivors will be an important step toward developing social work interventions for enhancing health promotion.