The effects of training program on distress levels among women breast cancer patients
Abstract
Objective: Women with breast cancer experience significant distress during the diagnosis and treatment process. This study was conducted quasi-experimentally to evaluate the effects of an individual training program given to women with breast cancer on distress. Methods: It was carried out in a university hospital with patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer and admitted to the General Surgery Clinic to be operated on. The study was completed with a total of 73 patients (the experimental group with 37 patients and the control group with 36 patients). Data for the study were collected through a personal information form and a distress thermometer. Results: It was found that both groups continued to experience more than four severe distress episodes on the tenth day, first month, and third month with a cancer diagnosis, after surgery. Conclusion: Nurses can provide individual training and counseling to women with breast cancer according to their individual needs, so that they can better manage the distress experienced during the treatment process.
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
1. Baqutayan SMS. The effect of anxiety on breast cancer patients. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2012; 34(2): 119-123. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.101774
2. Jørgensen L, Garne JP, Søgaard M, et al. Development of a questionnaire encompassing indicators of distress: A tool for use with women in surgical continuity of care for breast cancer. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2015; 19(2): 129-135. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2014.10.007
3. Sanders JB, Loftin A, Seda JS, et al. Psychosocial distress affecting patients with ductal carcinoma in situ compared to patients with early ınvasive breast cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2014; 18(6): 684-688. doi: 10.1188/14.cjon.684-688
4. Gold M, Dunn LB, Phoenix B, et al. Co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms following breast cancer surgery and its impact on quality of life. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2016; 20: 97-105. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2015.06.003
5. Harju E., Michel G, Roser KA. Systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Psycho‐Oncology. 2019; 28: 1803-1818. doi: 10.1002/pon.5172
6. Thapa S, Sun H, Pokhrel G, et al. Performance of distress thermometer and associated factors of psychological distress among chinese cancer patients. Journal of Oncology. 2020; 2020: 1-8. doi: 10.1155/2020/3293589
7. Ferguson LL, Curran B, Martinez M, et al. Triple-negative breast cancer: What is known about it?. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2014; 18(1): E6-E11. doi: 10.1188/14.cjon.e6-e11
8. Stefanic N, Caputi P, Lane L, et al. Exploring the nature of situational goal-based coping in early-stage breast cancer patients: A contextual approach. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2015; 19(6): 604-611. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2015.03.008
9. Lester J, Crosthwaite K, Stout R, et al. Women with breast cancer: Self-reported distress in early survivorship. Oncology Nursing Forum. 2015; 42(1): 17-23. doi: 10.1188/15.ONF.E17-E23
10. Ganz PA. Psychological and social aspects of breast cancer. Oncology. 2008; 22(6): 642-650.
11. Schetter CD, Tanner L. Anxiety, depression and stress in pregnancy. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2012; 25(2): 141-148. doi: 10.1097/yco.0b013e3283503680
12. Arvidsdotter T, Marklund B, Kylén S, et al. Understanding persons with psychological distress in primary health care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. 2015; 30(4): 687-694. doi: 10.1111/scs.12289
13. Huang CY, Hsu MC. Social support as a moderator between depressive symptoms and quality of life outcomes of breast cancer survivors. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2013; 17(6): 767-774. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2013.03.011
14. Tirgari B, Iranmanesh S, Fazel A, et al. Quality of life and mood state in ıranian women post mastectomy. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2012; 16(3): E118-E122. doi: 10.1188/12.cjon.e118-e122
15. Zeng Y, Huang M, Cheng ASK, et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of exercise intervention on quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer. 2014; 21(3): 262-274. doi: 10.1007/s12282-014-0521-7
16. Roth AJ, Kornblinth AB, Batel-Copel L, et al. Rapid screening for psychologic distress in men with prostate carcinoma: A pilot study. Cancer. 1998; 82(10): 1904-1908.
17. Özalp E, Cankurtaran ES, Soygür H, et al. Screening for psychological distress in Turkish cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology. 2006; 16(4): 304-311. doi: 10.1002/pon.1059
18. Riba MB, Donavan AK, AndersenB, et al. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Clinical practice guidelines in oncology, distress management,version 3.2019. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 2019; 17(10): 1229-1249. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2019.0048
19. Liao MN, Chen SC, Chen SC, et al. Changes and predictors of unmet supportive care needs in taiwanese women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum. 2012; 39(5): E380-E389. doi: 10.1188/12.onf.e380-e389
20. Jeon SY, Kim KE, Kim EK, et al. The emotional status, attitudes in decision-making process, and their ımpact on surgical choices in Korean breast cancer patients. Journal of Oncology. 2021; 2021: 1-6. doi: 10.1155/2021/6636986
21. Ploos van Amstel FK, Tol J, Sessink KH, et al. A specific distress cutoff score shortly after breast cancer diagnosis. Cancer Nursing. 2017; 40(3): E35-E40. doi: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000000380
22. Montazeri A. Quality of life data as prognostic indicators of survival in cancer patients: An overview of the literature from 1982 to 2008. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2009; 7(1). doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-7-102
23. Golant M, Altman T, Martin C. Managing cancer side effects to ımprove quality of life. Cancer Nursing. 2003; 26(1): 37-44. doi: 10.1097/00002820-200302000-00005
24. Costa‐Requena G, Rodríguez A, Fernández‐Ortega P. Longitudinal assessment of distress and quality of life in the early stages of breast cancer treatment. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. 2012; 27(1): 77-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2012.01003.x
25. Adams E, McCann L, Armes J, et al. The experiences, needs and concerns of younger women with breast cancer: A meta‐ethnography. Psycho-Oncology. 2011; 20(8): 851-861. doi: 10.1002/pon.1792
26. İnan FŞ. The effect of psychoeducation at home after treatment on breast cancer patients on distress, anxiety, depression and quality of life [PhD thesis]. Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Health Sciences; 2014.
27. Al-Riyami A, Abdulhadi NN, Al-Azri M. Understanding the perceptions of omani women regarding life after a breast cancer diagnosis. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2020; 20(4): e360-367. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2020.20.04.013
28. Özbaş AA. Determination of distress and perceived social support levels of breast cancer patients [Master’s thesis]. Gazi University Institute of Health Sciences; 2008.
29. Ploos van Amstel FK, van den Berg SW, van Laarhoven HWM, et al. Distress screening remains important during follow-up after primary breast cancer treatment. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2013; 21(8): 2107-2115. doi: 10.1007/s00520-013-1764-0
30. Budden LM, Hayes BA, Buettner PG. Women’s decision satisfaction and psychological distress following early breast cancer treatment: a treatment decision support role for nurses. International Journal of Nursing Practice. 2014; 20(1): 8-16. doi: 10.1111/ijn.12243
31. Park HY, Kim JH, Choi S, et al. Psychological effects of a cosmetic education programme in patients with breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care. 2015; 24(4): 493-502. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12290
