Effect of Education on Symptom Management and Control in Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care

Mahcube Cubukcu; Bekir Sahin; Dilek Kiymaz; Nur Simsek Yurt

doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2024.02.009

Effect of Education on Symptom Management and Control in Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care

Pain Manag Nurs. 2024 Mar 12:S1524-9042(24)00019-5. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.02.009. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Mahcube Cubukcu¹, Bekir Sahin², Dilek Kiymaz³, Nur Simsek Yurt⁴

Affiliations

¹ Samsun University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
² Gazi State Hospital, Clinic of Internal Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
³ Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Education Unit, Samsun, Turkey.
⁴ Samsun University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Samsun, Turkey; Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Family Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. Electronic address: nursimsekyurt@gmail.com.

PMID: 38480085
DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.02.009

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of an educational intervention on cancer patients receiving palliative care and their caregivers concerning symptom management and family needs.

Methods: This study involved 120 participants-60 cancer patients and their respective caregivers-divided into intervention and control groups. Over a 2-week period, the intervention group received a comprehensive educational program focusing on symptom management, while the control group did not receive any educational intervention. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) were used to assess patients' symptoms, their intensity, and performance, while the Family Need Scale (FNS) was utilized to evaluate caregivers' needs. These assessments were conducted at the beginning and end of the study. Primary outcomes focused on symptom assessment using ESAS and PPS, along with evaluating caregivers' needs through FNS. Secondary outcomes involved assessing participant satisfaction with the intervention.

Results: At the end of the study, comparing initial and second evaluations, both ESAS and PPS scores significantly increased in the intervention and control groups (p = .003, p = .002, respectively). Additionally, a statistically significant decrease in the severity of symptoms, except for lethargy/hypokinesis, was observed in the intervention group compared to the control group. The FNS scale indicated that family needs satisfaction was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. The data obtained demonstrated that there was a reduction the pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, and shortness of breath levels in the intervention group compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference other than these symptoms.

Conclusions: The educational intervention positively impacted symptom management and family needs. Optimizing symptom control would greatly benefit palliative care patients and their caregivers.

Keywords: Caregiver; Education; Intervention; Palliative care; Patient; Symptom management.