Investigation on transitional care needs of gastric carcinoma patients following gastrectomy

Abstract

Objective To investigate transitional care needs of the patients with gastric carcinoma before discharging, and improve their quality of life. Methods Through questionnaire and convenience sampling, 78 gastric carcinoma patients were recruited from a cancer hospital in Beijing. A self-made questionnaire was used to investigate the transitional care needs of the patients before discharging. Results 94.9% (74/78) of patients needed transitional care. 92.3% (72/78) of patients were willing to receive transitional care either from hospital they were discharged from or community medical institutions nearby with the guidance of the hospital. The most prevalent demands of the gastric cancer patients included food、return visit、the follow-up treatment、wound and defecation. The rates were 100.0% (78/78), 100.0% (78/78), 100.0% (78/78), 92.3% (72/78), 85.9% (67/78). Conclusions Most of the gastric carcinoma patients highly demanded transitional care. We should strengthen the management of patients after discharge, so as to improve their quality of life. Key words: Stomach neoplasms; Transitional care; Needs