Factors That May Predict Fatigue in Women with Newly-Diagnosed Breast
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Date
2015-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Women with breast cancer during active treatment or thereafter struggle to gain restful sleep and report a level of fatigue that interferes with their daily life. Fatigue has been identified as a cluster with depression and pain, although few data are published about pain alone as a predictor of sleep disturbances or fatigue. In the first segment of this study, breast cancer survivors were surveyed about their level and source of distress and most bothersome symptoms. Survivors reported fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances. Significant relationships (P<0.05) existed between distress and these symptoms. The second segment of the study is to examine the relationships between distress, fatigue, sleep, and pain. The purpose of this study was to measure the distress in women with breast cancer from diagnosis, through treatment, and into early survivorship. Correlates of fatigue, pain, and sleep were measured to determine if predictive relationships existed between the factors. A longitudinal design with repeated measures was used to measure the level of distress and presence or absence of fatigue, pain, and sleep during early survivorship. Women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer (N=150) that fulfilled inclusion criteria were recruited to participate. Instruments included the Distress Thermometer, Brief Pain Inventory, Brief Fatigue Inventory, General Anxiety Disorder, and Personal Health Questionnaire-9. Questionnaires were completed in the diagnostic period and every three months thereafter until four years post end of active treatment. Preliminary analyses are planned to examine data for one year post diagnosis. Analysis of variance will examine relationships between variables. It is important for nurses to examine the reported level and source of distress, and possible etiologic factors that may mitigate the cancer experience. If pain indeed is a predictive factor of fatigue and sleep issues, then an intervention study must be developed to improve this negative effect.
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Breast Cancer