Chemotherapy-related fatigue in childhood cancer: correlates, consequences, and coping strategies
Child; Humans; Parents; Questionnaires; Adaptation; Psychological; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects; Fatigue/chemically induced; Neoplasms/drug therapy/psychology
The aim of this research is to examine the experience and impact of chemotherapy-related fatigue in recently diagnosed pediatric oncology patients. A repeated-measures, within-subjects, mixed (quantitative plus qualitative) design was used to prospectively assess fatigue during early chemotherapy cycles and to compare fatigue to depressive symptoms. Parental interviews collected concurrently were analyzed for descriptions of the child's fatigue and mood states and for strategies to cope with fatigue. Results indicated a significant correlation between fatigue and depression, but qualitative analyses suggested that the 2 phenomena may be unique and distinguishable. Qualitative analyses of parent interviews also identified specific strategies that were frequently used in response to high levels of fatigue. The findings illustrate the significant impact of chemotherapy-related fatigue in children being treated for cancer. The study also provides guidance for the assessment of fatigue and related symptoms and identifies specific strategies for coping with fatigue.
2008
Whitsett SF; Gudmundsdottir M; Davies B; McCarthy P; Friedman D
Journal Of Pediatric Oncology Nursing
2008
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1177/1043454208315546" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1177/1043454208315546</a>
Parents' views of cancer-directed therapy for children with no realistic chance for cure
Child; Female; Humans; infant; Male; Adult; Parent-Child Relations; Questionnaires; Middle Aged; adolescent; Preschool; Terminally Ill/psychology; infant; Newborn; Parents/psychology; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects; Neoplasms/drug therapy/psychology
PURPOSE: Previous literature suggests that parents often wish to continue cancer-directed therapy for their children with incurable cancer. We assessed parents' experiences with treatment for their children with cancer and no realistic chance of cure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We administered questionnaires to 141 parents of children with cancer who died after receiving care at one of two cancer centers. Parents were asked whether the child benefited and suffered from treatment administered after the parent recognized that cure was not a realistic expectation, and whether they would recommend cancer-directed therapy to other families of children with advanced cancer. RESULTS: Fifty-three (38%) of 141 children received cancer-directed therapy after the parent recognized that the child had no realistic chance for cure. Most of these parents felt that their child had experienced at least some suffering resulting from the therapy (61%, 31 of 51) and little to no benefit (57%, 29 of 51). Fifty-one (38%) of 135 parents overall would recommend standard chemotherapy and 46 (33%) of 140 would recommend experimental chemotherapy to families of children with advanced cancer. Even parents who would not recommend standard chemotherapy generally felt the physician should offer it (91%, 88 of 97). Parents who reported that their children experienced suffering resulting from cancer-directed therapy (odds ratio = 0.46; P = .02) were less likely to recommend standard chemotherapy to other families. CONCLUSION: Although many parents choose treatment for their children with incurable cancer, bereaved parents often would not recommend such therapy. Parents who felt their children suffered as a result of cancer treatment were particularly unlikely to recommend it.
2008
Mack JW; Joffe S; Hilden JM; Watterson J; Moore C; Weeks JC; Wolfe J
Journal Of Clinical Oncology
2008
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2007.15.6059" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1200/JCO.2007.15.6059</a>