CAJ | 학술논문

OBJECTIVE To examine fatigue and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy.METHODS A self-report survey derived from the Chinese version of Brief Fatigue Inventory, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy for Breast Cancer, and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Descriptive statistics was used to examine the intensity of fatigue and the prevalence of severe fatigue. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to determine factors that affect the five domains of QOL among the participants.RESULTS The majority of the participants (n = 261) perceived a mild level of fatigue, but 35.6% of them suffered severe fatigue. Fatigue had a significantly negative association with all domains of QOL except social/family wellbeing. The participants who were receiving chemotherapy, undergoing curative treatment and having inadequate social support were more likely to have poorer QOL in all five domains (after adjustment for age).CONCLUSION Although the majority of the participants experienced a mild level of fatigue, there was a substantial group of breast cancer patients who perceived their fatigue as severe. The findings of this study showed that fatigue had a detrimental effect on the various aspects of the participants'QOL. Demographic and clinical characteristics of breast cancer patients who were at risk of getting poorer QOL were identified. The results of the study demonstrate that we should enhance healthcare professionals' awareness of the importance of symptom assessment, and provide them with information for planning effective symptom-management strategies among this study population.