Nursing intervention studies on patients and family members: a systematic literature review

The development of evidence-based practice is a major current challenge in the fields of nursing practice and nursing research. A concerted effort is needed to develop and test interventions and to assess their impacts. The illness of one family member inevitably affects other family members and the whole family. Nursing interventions should be so designed that they support and enhance the life situation of both patients and their families. The aim of this study is to undertake a systematic review of nursing intervention studies on patients and family members published in international databases in 2001–2006. The main focus was on the targets, methods and impacts of interventions. The articles for the review were searched from Medline and Cinahl (n = 31) and analysed by content analysis and the RE-AIM evaluation model. The results showed that the interventions were targeted at patients with chronic diseases and individual family members. In addition to support components, the interventions included elements of teaching, counselling and education. The preliminary evidence indicated that the interventions were effective in relieving the burden of care and depressive symptoms of family members of Alzheimer, cancer, stroke and schizophrenia patients as well as in promoting their quality of life and coping. Nursing interventions are still in the development and testing phase. The challenge for the future is to broaden the scope and application of interventions in different nursing environments. Assessments of the efficacy of interventions should also consider their adaptation, implementation and maintenance in practical nursing.     

Quality of life of survivors of testicular germ cell cancer: a review of the literature

Goals of work Testicular cancer (TC) affects young men in the prime of life. The excellent prognosis and an increasing incidence have led to a growing number of testicular cancer survivors (TCSs). The aim of this review was to summarize and discuss research findings on the quality of life (QOL) of TCSs in terms of physical, psychological, and social well-being.Patients and methods Literature databases were used to identify studies published between 1980 and 2003. A quality assessment using methodological and treatment-related criteria was performed to distinguish stronger- from poorer-quality studies.Main results Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Quality assessment showed that seven studies were qualitatively stronger. The majority of TCSs in both stronger and poorer quality studies reported a good QOL. Prospective and retrospective studies showed that QOL after completion of treatment increased and negative consequences of TC on life decreased compared to the situation directly after diagnosis. The stronger-quality studies reported mainly on physical and psychological well-being but did not examine social well-being and the impact of treatment-related characteristics comprehensively.Conclusions Both stronger- and poorer-quality studies indicate that the majority of TCSs experience a good QOL, but the shortcomings on both the methodological and content level prevent us from drawing such a conclusion. Additional research with strong designs is needed to gain clearer insight into the QOL of TCSs as a group and of individuals at risk for physical, psychological, and social problems.This research was supported by a grant from the Dutch Cancer Society, no. RUG 99–2130     

The impact of treatment preferences: A narrative review

Attending to treatment preferences is an element of person-centred care, reported as beneficial in improving treatment adherence, satisfaction, and outcome, in practice. The results of preference trials were inconsistent in supporting these benefits in intervention evaluation research. Informed by the conceptualisation of treatment preferences positing their indirect impact on outcomes, this narrative review aimed to summarise the evidence on the effects of preferences on enrolment; withdrawal or attrition; engagement, enactment, and satisfaction with treatment; and outcomes. The search yielded 72 studies (57 primary trials and 15 reviews). The results of vote counting indicated that (1) offering participants the opportunity to choose treatment enhances enrolment (reported in 87.5% of studies), and (2) providing treatments that match participants' preferences reduces attrition (48%); enhances engagement (67%), enactment (50%) and satisfaction with (43%) treatment; and improves outcomes (35%). The results are attributed to conceptual and methodological issues including less-than-optimal assessment of treatment preferences, which contributes to ill-identified preferences, accounting for withdrawal, low enactment, and limited satisfaction with treatment. These treatment processes, in turn, mediate the impact of treatment preferences on outcomes. It is important to refine and standardise the methods for assessing preferences and to examine their indirect impact (mediated by treatment processes) on outcomes in future preference trials to validly identify their benefits.     

A systematic review of physical activity in prostate cancer survivors: outcomes, prevalence, and determinants

INTRODUCTION: We reviewed physical activity (PA) studies in prostate cancer (PC) survivors investigating (a) the effects of PA on health outcomes, (b) the prevalence of PA, and (c) the determinants of PA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search of the literature identified nine studies on the outcomes of PA, six studies on the prevalence of PA, and four studies on the determinants of PA in PC survivors. RESULTS: Results showed promising effects of PA on muscular fitness, physical functioning, fatigue, and health-related quality of life. The prevalence of PA varied widely from <30% to >70%, depending on the type of measure used. PA in PC survivors was predicted by motivational variables such as intentions, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. CONCLUSION: Although preliminary research is promising, there remains a significant amount of research to be done on the role of PA in PC survivors. Moreover, future research would benefit from larger samples using randomized controlled trial methodology.     

癌症生存者家庭适应相关测量工具的研究进展

介绍家庭适应的相关概念及起源,阐述家庭适应方面常用测量工具的发展历程、内容结构、适用人群、评分方法、信度与效度、应用现状等情况,以期能够指导临床工作者在实践过程中选择合适的家庭适应测量工具,旨在帮助研究者进一步开发适用于我国癌症生存者的特异性家庭适应测量工具。     

肺癌幸存者体力活动的研究进展

本文对肺癌幸存者体力活动相关研究进行综述。研究表明,肺癌患者体力活动可降低肺癌风险、改善心肺和疲劳状况、提高生存率、改善生活质量及改善睡眠等。其影响因素主要包括:疾病相关、生活习惯、医务人员引导及其他相关因素。临床常采用6分钟步行距离、国际体力活动问卷、生活质量核心问卷、肺癌治疗功能评价表等相关的测量工具评估肺癌患者体力活动。为肺癌幸存期的患者制定运动安全策略,选择理想的运动方案,关注肺癌患者运动障碍因素及需求,是完善肺癌幸存者体力活动最佳活动处方,可为制定有效的体力活动计划提供一定的参考和借鉴。     

First-episode psychosis: a literature review

This paper reports on a literature review of the impacts of first-episode psychosis on both the patient and their family and carers. The discussion focuses on the effects on the patient experiencing psychotic symptoms for the first time, including disruption to their environment, social connectedness, and future plans. Patients experiencing these symptoms can experience fear, distress, and isolation. Many of these patients are also at greater risk to themselves and others. The family and carers witnessing this psychosis may experience fear, guilt, and often carry the emotional and physical burden of care. Early intervention and treatment are crucial to potentially achieving better clinical outcomes, and to alleviating the psychological impact on patients and their families. The nurse's role in the treatment of the patient experiencing first-episode psychosis is to facilitate early intervention through recognition of symptoms and ongoing assessment, work to reduce a patient's risks, manage treatments, and work with the patient to reduce the risk of relapse.     

青年乳腺癌患者家庭韧性与社会支持及心理社会适应的关系

目的 探讨青年乳腺癌患者家庭韧性与社会支持及心理社会适应的关系.方法 采用便利抽样法,选取河南省某三级甲等医院的263例青年乳腺癌患者为研究对象,采用一般资料调查表、中文版家庭坚韧性量表、社会支持评定量表、疾病心理社会适应问卷进行调查,采用Pearson相关分析探究家庭韧性、社会支持与心理社会适应的相关关系,构建中介效...     

A review of psychosocial needs of breast‐cancer patients and their relatives

Aim. To identify the psychosocial needs of breast‐cancer patients and their relatives along with factors affecting these needs and to develop a tentative model to guide further research and need assessments in clinical practice. Background. Women experiencing breast cancer must deal with the diagnosis of a life‐threatening illness. Treatment and the recovery process can be demanding for patients and their relatives. Need assessment may help clinicians focus on providing appropriate help. Design. Literature review. Method. Undertaken using electronic databases and specific research terms; 20 articles were identified and analysed. Results. The needs identified by patients involve (1) treatment‐related physical and social impairment like fatigue, menopausal symptoms and a changed body image and (2) emotional distress like fear of recurrence, anxiety and depression. Partners need help to protect themselves and the patient from different threats. Women need information to maintain control and manage their illness. Partners want information concerning the patient’s condition and both of them about the prognosis and perspectives. There is a lack of knowledge of relatives’ needs. Mutual familial support, women’s and partners’ health and emotional distress may affect the interaction between the patients and their partners. Conclusions. A tentative family‐based model to guide further research and clinical support is proposed. Further research is needed to determine precisely which psychosocial factors may influence fulfilment of the patients’ and relatives’ needs. Relevance to clinical practice. The proposed model may provide a framework for healthcare professionals to evaluate the patients’ and relatives’ met and unmet needs and the real demand for help, to guide care planning, counselling and education.     

叙事护理对癌症患者志气缺失综合征及生活质量的影响

目的:观察叙事护理对癌症患者志气缺失综合征及生活质量的影响.方法:选取2019年5-10月我院肿瘤内科收治的90例癌症患者为研究对象,随机分为观察组和对照组各45例,对照组采用常规护理,观察组在常规护理的基础上采用叙事护理.采用志气缺失量表、癌症患者生活质量量表及住院患者护理满意度调查问卷评价干预效果.结果:干预2个月...     

Incarceration and the tasks of grief: a narrative review

Title.  Incarceration and the tasks of grief: a narrative review.
Aim.  This study is a report of a narrative review to explore the challenges facing prisoners and the corrections system in the presence of the death of a significant person to the prisoner.
Background.  Death of a loved one is an important challenge, amplified for incarcerated men. There are unique aspects of incarceration that prevent prisoners from having access to usual ritual expressions and support structures.
Data sources.  A search of the CINAHL, ProQuest Medical, PubMed, EBSCO and COCHRANE databases was conducted for papers published from 1998–2007. The search terms were bereavement and prison nursing. A hand search of material specific to grief and incarceration was also undertaken.
Review methods.  A narrative technique involving reading, writing, thinking, interpreting, arguing and justifying was used to synthesize the material and create a convincing and cohesive story.
Results.  Limited research is available specifically addressing the grief experience of incarcerated individuals or the impact of unresolved grief on recidivism. However, a number of potential challenges to the grieving process in the prison system are identified in the literature, such as the prison culture of toughness and limited options for funeral attendance.
Conclusion.  Whilst the literature is scant, it is clear that issues of masculinity and culture have a strong impact on the ability of incarcerated men to resolve grief issues. More research is required to understand the impact of this on issues, such as recidivism. In the meantime, prison nurses have an important role to play in supporting prisoners who have lost a loved one during their incarceration.