THE EFFECTS OF GROUP COUNSELING ON SYMPTOM SCALES OF LIFE QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER TREATED BY CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract

Introduction: With regard to the importance of Life Quality (LQ) in patients with cancer, especially breast cancer, and research conflicts about quality and quantity of the effect of counseling on LQ promotion in such patients and for determining the effect of group counseling on symptom scales of LQ in patients with breast cancer treated by chemotherapy, this study was carried out at the at the Cancer Institute of Imam Khomeini Hospital in 2005 in Tehran. Materials and Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial in which 164 women aged between 25-55 years undergoing chemotherapy due to breast cancer and with mastectomy history. Subjects were divided into control (n= 82) and experimental (n=82) groups. The sample allocated method was employed randomly according to the latest number of patient cases in which odds located in control groups and evens in exprimental group. Session of counseling was arranged for the exprimental group. LQ of the patients were measured at the begining and end of the study by two standard questionnaires (QLQ_ Br 23, QLQ-C30). Results: Results showed that the mean age of the two groups were 40.84 ± 7.7 and 41.72 ± 8.4 in the control and exprimental groups respectively. The mean of chemotherapy sessions in control group was 8.26 ± 2.47 and in the exprimental group was 8.3 ± 2.66 with a range of 3-12. Nursing counseling cause LQ symptom scales promotion in the exprimental group (P<0.001). General symptom scales such as insomnia, pain, nausea, vomiting, dyspnea, appetite loss, constipation and diarrhea and special symptom scales (arm symptoms, breast symptoms, systemic therapy side effect) were improved in the exprimental group by means of counseling (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the above results it is concluded that applying group counseling is an effective method in LQ promotion for such patients in their medical supportive centers