題名:Symptom clusters and relationships to symptom interference with daily life in Taiwanese lung cancer patients
作者:陳炳常
Wang-SY; Tsai; CM; Chen; BC; Lin; CH; Lin; CC; 貢獻者:呼吸治療學系
上傳時間:2009-08-24T03:32:37Z
摘要:The number one cause of cancer death in Taiwan is lung cancer. Of the few studies
describing the experience of patients living with lung cancer, most use bivariate analyses to
test associations between individual symptoms. Few have systematically investigated multiple
symptoms. This prospective study was undertaken to explore the phenomenon of symptom
distress, to investigate the presence of symptom clusters, and to examine the relationship of
symptom clusters to symptom interference with daily life in Taiwanese lung cancer patients. A
sample of 108 lung cancer patients was recruited using the Taiwanese version of the M. D.
Anderson Symptom Inventory. Data were analyzed by hierarchical cluster analysis, factor
analysis, Pearson correlation, t-test, and regression analysis. The top five most-severe
symptoms were fatigue, sleep disturbance, lack of appetite, shortness of breath, and general
distress. Factor analysis generated a two-factor solution (general and gastrointestinal
symptoms) for symptom severity items. Consistent with the result from factor analysis, cluster
analysis also indicated the same two cluster groups (general and gastrointestinal symptoms).
Both clusters were significantly correlated with symptom interference items; however, the
general symptom cluster presented higher correlation coefficients than did the gastrointestinal
symptom cluster. These results provide an important basis for developing novel strategies to
manage multiple symptoms in lung cancer patients and thereby improve their well-being. J
Pain Symptom Manage 2008;35:258e266. 2008 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee.
