Open Access, Peer-reviewed
pISSN 2287-2434
eISSN 2287-447X
    Asian Oncol Nurs. 2012 Sep;12(3):221-229. Korean.
    Published online Sep 30, 2012.
    https://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2012.12.3.221
    © 2012 Korean Oncology Nursing Society
    Original Article

    Correlates Influencing Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients receiving Chemotherapy

    Bok Yae Chung,1 and Eun Jung Cho2
      • 1Kyungpook National University College of Nursing, Daegu, Korea.
      • 2Department of Nursing, Sorabol College, Gyeongju, Korea.
    • Address reprint requests to: Cho, Eun Jung. Department of Nursing, Sorabol College, 165 Chunghy-dong, Gyeongju 780-971, Korea. Tel: +82-54-770-3658, Fax: +82-54-770-3757, Email: ejc10004@sorabol.ac.kr
    Received August 03, 2012; Accepted September 08, 2012.

    This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

    Abstract

    Purpose

    The purpose of this study was to identify correlates influencing cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

    Methods

    Study subjects consisted of 102 breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy. Subjects were the members of a breast cancer self-help group. Data were collected using structured self-reporting questionnaires including scales of cognitive impairment, physical status, fatigue, quality of life, emotional status, sleeping, family support, and menopausal symptoms. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for statistical analyses.

    Results

    Breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy appeared to show a high level of cognitive impairment. Among demographic characteristics, the effects of economic status and family type on cognitive impairment were found to be statistically significant. Among disease related characteristics, the effect of duration of chemotherapy on cognitive impairment was statistically significant. Menopausal symptoms were positively associated with cognitive impairment. The model including postmenopausal symptoms and caregiver type explained about 66% of variability in cognitive impairment.

    Conclusion

    These findings highlight the importance of contextual factors in understanding cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and can be used to develop appropriate, effective nursing interventions.

    Keywords
    Breast Neoplasms; Chemotherapy; Cognitive Impairment

    Tables

    Table 1
    Demographic Characteristics & Disease Related Characteristics (N=102)

    Table 2
    Cognitive Function & Related Variables (N=102)

    Table 3
    Differences in Cognitive Function by Demographic Characteristics (N=102)

    Table 4
    Differences in Cognitive Function by Disease Related Characteristics (N=102)

    Table 5
    Correlated Factors on Cognitive Function

    Notes

    This Research was supported by Kyungpook National University Research Fund, 2009.

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    MeSH Terms
    Breast
    Breast Neoplasms
    Caregivers
    Fatigue
    Humans
    Quality of Life
    Self-Help Groups
    Social Sciences
    Surveys and Questionnaires
    Weights and Measures
    Metrics
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    Tables
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