| Author: | Mo, Sin-ling |
| Title: | Quality of life in Chinese patients with hepatobiliary cancers under palliative care |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Liver -- Cancer -- Patients -- Palliative treatment Quality of life Palliative treatment |
| Department: | School of Nursing |
| Pages: | xiii, 129 leaves : ill. ; 31 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Background: Facing sudden diagnosis, unavoidable pain and relatively short life expectancy, patients with HBP cancers usually suffer not less than patients with other cancers. However, their needs for palliative care are not adequately studied in Hong Kong because they usually do not live long enough to wait for admitting to palliative care institutions. The provision of palliative care in acute care ward became the new trend in this decade. Purpose: The current study aimed at exploring the relationship between different socio-demographic variables and QOL domains of Chinese patients with HBP cancers as well as their differences. The changes of QOL scores of these patients were also examined. Method: Nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design of quasi-experiment was adopted. There were 89 patients recruited in total via convenience sampling. The validated Chinese version of McGill Quality of Life (MQOL-HK) was used as main measurement instrument. Procedure & data analyisis: Subjects' QOL changes were measured for three times by the same questionnaire. The first, second and third assessments were scheduled on first 48 hours, 7-8 days and 12-13 days respectively. Kendall's tau-b correlation was used to measure the association of socio-demographic variables and QOL domains whereas Mann-Witney U test as well as Kruskal-Wallis H test were adopted to test the differences of these socio-demographic variables on various QOL domains. The changes of QOL over times were measured by repeated measure ANOVA. Result: The result was encouraging because the physical, psychological as well as the overall QOL in the experimental group were found to have significant improvement. On the contrary, without palliative care, subjects' QOL in physical and intimacy domains were still improved significantly in the current study. Discussion: Part of the result was consistent with other local and western studies that physical domain of those patients receiving palliative care was significantly improved after about two weeks' admission. This was the first study to find out that even without palliative care, subjects' QOL in physical and intimacy domains were still significantly improved. The reasons behind were discussed in relation to the financial, housing and support aspects generated from socio-demographic variables. Based on the result, the author made some recommendations on the ways to improve QOL of patients with HBP cancers in clinical practice. What was more, suggestions on service development, development of palliative care culture as well as future research were also made. Conclusion: This was the first local study adopting control group as comparison to demonstrate that palliative care improved QOL of Chinese patients with HBP cancers in the aspects of physical, psychological as well as overall QOL, even in acute care setting. However, the pioneer comparable result from patients not receiving palliative care showed that physical and intimacy domains were also significantly improved. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b20809062.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 5.32 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Copyright Undertaking
As a bona fide Library user, I declare that:
- I will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the Database.
- I will use the Database for the purpose of my research or private study only and not for circulation or further reproduction or any other purpose.
- I agree to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage.
By downloading any item(s) listed above, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the copyright undertaking as stated above, and agree to be bound by all of its terms.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/3134