Effects of Home Nursing Intervention on the Quality of Life of Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma after Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> The effects of home nursing intervention on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngealcarcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy and chemotherapy are unclear. According to the characteristics of nursinghome patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we should continuously improve the nursing plan and improvethe quality of life of patients at home. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: We selected 180 patients at home with NPC afterradiotherapy and chemotherapy. The patients were randomly divided into experimental and control groups(90 patients each). The experimental group featured intervention with an NPC home nursing plan, while thecontrol group was given routine discharge and outpatient review. Nursing intervention for patients was mainlyachieved by regular telephone follow-up and home visits. We use the quality of life scale (QOL-C30), anxietyscale (SAS) and depression scale (SDS) to evaluate these patients before intervention, and during follow-up at 1month and 3 months after the intervention. <br/><b>Results</b>: Overall health and quality of life were significantly differentbetween the groups (p<0.05), Emotional function score was significantly higher after intervention (p<0.05), aswere cognitive function and social function scores after 3 months of intervention (p<0.05). Scores of fatigue,nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite and constipation were also significantly different between the two groups(p<0.05). Rates of anxiety and depression after 3 months of intervention were 11.1%, 22.2% and 34.4%, 53.3%,the differences being significant (p<0.05). <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: NPC home nursing plan could effectively improve overallquality of life, cognitive function, social function (after 3 months) of patients, but improvement regarding bodyfunction is not suggested. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite, constipation were clearly improved.We should further pursue a personalized, comprehensive measurements for nursing interventions and try toimprove the quality of life of NPC patients at home.