Quality of sleep in postoperative surgical oncologic patients

Namie Okino Sawada,Elizabeth Barichello,Márcia Maria Fontão Zago,Helena Megumi Sonobe

doi:10.1590/s0104-11692009000400008

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate surgical-oncologic patients' quality of sleep through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. It is an exploratory study with transversal-observational design, in 46 postoperative head & neck and urology cancer patients. The PSQI questionnaire was used to evaluate the subjective quality of sleep and the occurrence of sleep disorders. Six PSQI components were statistically significant and 78.3% of the interviewees had impaired subjective quality of sleep. Among factors leading to sleep disorders we point out: taking too long to fall asleep; waking up in the middle of the night; getting up to go to the bathroom and napping during the day. This study is expected to sensitize the nursing team regarding the need to investigate quality of sleep and causes of its disorders in cancer survivors for an effective course of action.

Highlights

According to the National Cancer Institute in Brazil, the incidence of cancer increases at the same rate as the population ages due to increased expectation of life
Fourteen (30.4%) participants had up to one minimum wage salary; 19 (41.3%) had one to two minimum wage salaries, 12 (26.1%) had two to three and one (2.2%) participant had more than four minimum wage salaries
Forty-one (89.1%) patients were older than 50 years of age, which is in accordance with the literature because age is an important risk factor for all types of cancer since the incidence and mortality of the disease increase exponentially after 50 years of age(1)

Summary

Introduction

According to the National Cancer Institute in Brazil, the incidence of cancer increases at the same rate as the population ages due to increased expectation of life. Surgery is still one of the main treatments for 60% of patients. The sleep disorders experienced by cancer patients can occur in different periods of the course of the disease: at the point of diagnosis, during and after treatment and in its final phase. The incidence of this disorder for these patients is expressive because it is about 30 to 50% when compared to 15% in the population in general. 23% to 44% of cancer patients present this symptom after two or five years of treatment(2)

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Conclusion