{"title":"Radiotherapy-induced fatigue in Palestinian breast cancer survivors.","authors":"Hussein ALMasri, Omar Rimawi","doi":"10.1080/21642850.2024.2302569","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>No study has investigated the cancer-related fatigue (CRF) among Palestinian breast cancer survivors. Our purpose is to assess, compare, and correlate CRF in breast cancer survivors undergoing radiotherapy (RT) with study variables.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>CRF in breast cancer survivors was assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue Scale (FACIT-F) (version 4). The sample consisted of 148 breast cancer survivors undergoing RT. Data was collected between 1 May 2021 and 1 September 2021. The means and standard deviations of the questionnaire using one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient were reported.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Respondents ages ranged from 20 to >65 years old and was divided into four groups: (20-35, 36-50, 51-65, and >65 years, respectively). The total fatigue mean was 2.88 and the SD was 0.84, indicating an intermediate fatigue level among breast cancer survivors. Study survivors with higher education were more likely to be fatigued (<i>F</i> =7.68, <i>P</i>-value =0.001). Divorced survivors were more prone to fatigue compared to married survivors (<i>F</i> =5.83, <i>P</i>-value= 0.001). Finally, survivors who do not have children were more vulnerable to exhaustion compared to those with children (<i>F</i> =7.35, <i>P</i>-value =0.001). Also, younger survivors were more prone to fatigue, compared to older survivors (<i>F</i> =5.29, <i>P</i>-value = 0.002). Results also showed a positive relationship between each of the variables; the number of children (<i>R</i> =0.221, <i>P</i>-value =0.007), age (<i>R</i> =0.311, <i>P</i>-value =0.000), and duration of treatment (<i>R</i> =0.290, <i>P</i>-value =0.000), which means that the greater the number of children, the younger the age, or the longer the duration of treatment, the more fatigue is reported in breast cancer survivors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Fatigue is frequently observed in breast cancer survivors undergoing RT. It can limit RT treatment continuity. Therefore, early detection of fatigue can help survivors adhere to RT treatment and achieve better clinical results.</p>","PeriodicalId":12891,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2302569"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10776065/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2302569","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: No study has investigated the cancer-related fatigue (CRF) among Palestinian breast cancer survivors. Our purpose is to assess, compare, and correlate CRF in breast cancer survivors undergoing radiotherapy (RT) with study variables.
Methods: CRF in breast cancer survivors was assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue Scale (FACIT-F) (version 4). The sample consisted of 148 breast cancer survivors undergoing RT. Data was collected between 1 May 2021 and 1 September 2021. The means and standard deviations of the questionnaire using one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient were reported.
Results: Respondents ages ranged from 20 to >65 years old and was divided into four groups: (20-35, 36-50, 51-65, and >65 years, respectively). The total fatigue mean was 2.88 and the SD was 0.84, indicating an intermediate fatigue level among breast cancer survivors. Study survivors with higher education were more likely to be fatigued (F =7.68, P-value =0.001). Divorced survivors were more prone to fatigue compared to married survivors (F =5.83, P-value= 0.001). Finally, survivors who do not have children were more vulnerable to exhaustion compared to those with children (F =7.35, P-value =0.001). Also, younger survivors were more prone to fatigue, compared to older survivors (F =5.29, P-value = 0.002). Results also showed a positive relationship between each of the variables; the number of children (R =0.221, P-value =0.007), age (R =0.311, P-value =0.000), and duration of treatment (R =0.290, P-value =0.000), which means that the greater the number of children, the younger the age, or the longer the duration of treatment, the more fatigue is reported in breast cancer survivors.
Conclusions: Fatigue is frequently observed in breast cancer survivors undergoing RT. It can limit RT treatment continuity. Therefore, early detection of fatigue can help survivors adhere to RT treatment and achieve better clinical results.
期刊介绍:
Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: an Open Access Journal (HPBM) publishes theoretical and empirical contributions on all aspects of research and practice into psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical aspects of health. HPBM publishes international, interdisciplinary research with diverse methodological approaches on: Assessment and diagnosis Narratives, experiences and discourses of health and illness Treatment processes and recovery Health cognitions and behaviors at population and individual levels Psychosocial an behavioral prevention interventions Psychosocial determinants and consequences of behavior Social and cultural contexts of health and illness, health disparities Health, illness and medicine Application of advanced information and communication technology.