Liao, M.N., Chen, S.C., Lin, Y.C., Chen, M.F., Wang, C.H., & Jane, S.W. (2014). Education and psychological support meet the supportive care needs of Taiwanese women three months after surgery for newly diagnosed breast cancer: A non-randomised quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51, 390–399.
DOI Link
Study Purpose
To investigate the effects of education and psychological support on anxiety, symptom distress, social support, and unmet supportive care needs of Taiwanese women newly diagnosed with breast cancer over three months following surgery
Intervention Characteristics/Basic Study Process
Education and psychological support was provided in the form of three individual face-to-face sessions and two telephone follow-up sessions. A standardized educational booklet was used. Sessions were done at the first postoperative visit, the first chemotherapy session, and three months after surgery. The telephone follow-up call was made seven days before chemotherapy and two months after surgery. Study measures were obtained at baseline, one month after surgery, and three months after surgery.
Sample Characteristics
- N = 40 (experimental), 40 (control)
- AVERAGE AGE = 50.7 years
- FEMALES: 100%
- KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Breast cancer, postsurgical intervention
- OTHER KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: The majority of participants were married or living with a partner, had a higher educational level and family income, had a mastectomy versus a lumpectomy, and were undergoing chemotherapy.
Setting
- SITE: Multi-site
- SETTING TYPE: Outpatient
- LOCATION: Taiwan
Phase of Care and Clinical Applications
- PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment
- APPLICATIONS: Elder care, palliative care
Study Design
Two-group, nonrandomized, quasiexperimental study
Measurement Instruments/Methods
All forms were in Chinese.
- State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to measure anxiety
- Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) modified for breast cancer
- Modified Social Support Scale (SSS)
- Supportive Care Needs Survey–Short Form (SCNS-SF)
Results
The experimental group experienced lower levels of overall unmet supportive care needs and had lower levels of unmet needs in other dimensions as well. Levels of state anxiety and symptom distress also were lower in this group. Primary concerns across groups were self-care and supportive care. Anxiety declined in both groups at similar levels by the first follow-up measure. By three months after surgery, there was a greater reduction in anxiety scores in the experimental group, which were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < .001).
Conclusions
The educational and psychological support components of the intervention improved the unmet supportive care needs of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer three months after surgery.
Limitations
- Small sample (< 100)
- Baseline sample/group differences of import
- Risk of bias (no blinding)
- Risk of bias (no random assignment)
- Risk of bias (no appropriate attentional control condition)
- Risk of bias (sample characteristics)
- Unintended interventions or applicable interventions not described that would influence results
- Key sample group differences that could influence results
- Other limitations/explanation: Patients were overwhelmingly married or had a partner, had a higher income, and had higher levels social support. The experimental group had significantly lower baseline state anxiety scores and significantly lower levels of unmet needs at baseline. No information was provided regarding the number of patients included in follow-up data collection; this is not reflected in the consort diagram. Usual care is not described. There is no discussion of any medication or other interventions that could have affected outcomes observed.