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The symptom experiences of Puerto Rican children undergoing cancer treatments and alleviation practices as reported by their mothers.
- Source :
- International Journal of Nursing Practice (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.); Feb2017, Vol. 23 Issue 1, pn/a-N.PAG, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Although symptoms during cancer treatments are prevalent and are important clinical outcomes of childhood cancer, the symptom experiences of Puerto Rican children along with the symptom alleviation/care practices that parents provide during cancer treatments have received limited attention. To examine the occurrence/severity of symptoms on the Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist-Children (TRSC-C), reported by mothers of Puerto Rican children undergoing cancer treatments and identifying mothers' symptom alleviation/management strategies. Descriptive study conducted between January and May 2012. Mothers of 65 Puerto Rican children/adolescents undergoing cancer treatments responded to the Spanish versions of the TRSC-C, Symptom Alleviation: Self-Care Methods, and a Demographic and Health form. The children/adolescents' mean age was 9.2 (1-17) years; 62% were boys; 56 had chemotherapy; 9 had chemoradiotherapy. Children diagnoses were 35.4% leukemia, 24.6% solid tumors, 24.6% nervous system tumors, and 15.4% other. On the TRSC-C, the symptoms experienced by 70% or more of the children were: irritability (77%), nausea (75%), and hair loss (72%). On the Symptom Alleviation: Self-Care Methods, the most commonly reported symptom alleviation category was 'taking prescribed medicines.' Puerto Rican mothers reported the use of alleviation practices to treat their children experiencing symptoms during pediatric cancer treatments. Patients and caregivers need to be educated about treatment-induced side effects, and the life-threatening consequences of underreporting and undermanagement. Symptoms should always be addressed at the time of initiation of primary or adjuvant cancer therapy because pretreatment symptoms may persist or get worse across the trajectory of treatment. A continuous assessment and management of symptoms during the childhood cancer trajectory can optimize clinical care and improve quality of life of patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- TUMORS in children
BALDNESS
CANCER chemotherapy
CANCER patients
CHILDREN'S hospitals
COMBINED modality therapy
DRUGS
HISPANIC Americans
INTERVIEWING
LEUKEMIA
RESEARCH methodology
NUTRITION
QUALITY of life
RADIOTHERAPY
SCALE analysis (Psychology)
HEALTH self-care
ATTITUDES of mothers
SYMPTOMS
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
CHILDREN
PREVENTION
TUMOR treatment
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13227114
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- International Journal of Nursing Practice (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 121388049
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12500