Abstract
Background: Persons treated for colorectal cancer (CRC) continue to suffer from physical, psychological, emotional, and social problems after post-treatment completion.
Objective: To explore whether different profiles exist in a cohort of patients treated for CRC regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, medical, and quality of life outcomes.
Methods: A cross-sectional study screened 124 patients, with 118 participating in the study (response rate of 95.2%). Data were collected from August 2020 to February 2021 using convenience sampling. Instruments included sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and the EORTC QLQ-CR29 questionnaire. Cluster analysis, t-test, chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests were used for data analysis.
Results: Cluster 1 (n = 44) was characterized as a “poor-to-moderate functional and severe symptom” group. Cluster 2 (n = 74) was characterized as a “good functional and less symptom” group.
Conclusions: There are substantial differences in age, gender, marital status, employment status, symptoms, and functional deficiencies between the two clusters. A customized, individualized care plan and a specifically tailored approach are needed for those in cluster 1.
Implications for Practice: It is essential that oncology nurses recognize that a one-size fits-all policy is not adequate to address the needs of two distinct groups of adult survivors of CRC in Oman.
What is Foundational: Despite knowledge gaps on the need of survivors of CRC, findings from this research can be used to enhance oncology nurses’ understanding of the need and support from different symptom and function groups.
Objective: To explore whether different profiles exist in a cohort of patients treated for CRC regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, medical, and quality of life outcomes.
Methods: A cross-sectional study screened 124 patients, with 118 participating in the study (response rate of 95.2%). Data were collected from August 2020 to February 2021 using convenience sampling. Instruments included sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and the EORTC QLQ-CR29 questionnaire. Cluster analysis, t-test, chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests were used for data analysis.
Results: Cluster 1 (n = 44) was characterized as a “poor-to-moderate functional and severe symptom” group. Cluster 2 (n = 74) was characterized as a “good functional and less symptom” group.
Conclusions: There are substantial differences in age, gender, marital status, employment status, symptoms, and functional deficiencies between the two clusters. A customized, individualized care plan and a specifically tailored approach are needed for those in cluster 1.
Implications for Practice: It is essential that oncology nurses recognize that a one-size fits-all policy is not adequate to address the needs of two distinct groups of adult survivors of CRC in Oman.
What is Foundational: Despite knowledge gaps on the need of survivors of CRC, findings from this research can be used to enhance oncology nurses’ understanding of the need and support from different symptom and function groups.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e022 |
| Pages (from-to) | 6 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Cancer Care Research Online |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 20 2022 |