Kwua-Yun Wang

Trends in the Consumption of Opioid Analgesics in Taiwan From 2002 to 2007: A Population-Based Study

CONTEXT Morphine consumption is an important indicator of a countrys progress in cancer pain relief. However, opioid prescription data are lacking for Taiwan. OBJECTIVES To investigate opioid consumption patterns in Taiwan, compare the results with those from selected countries, identify differences between patients with and without cancer, and determine the associated expenditure. METHODS Data on prescriptions for three so-called strong opioids (fentanyl, morphine, and pethidine [meperidine]) and one so-called weak opioid (codeine) were obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for 2002-2007. The data were converted into a defined daily dose for statistical purposes per million inhabitants per day. Associated payments and diagnoses also were obtained from the database. RESULTS From 2002 to 2007, opioid consumption in Taiwan increased by 55% from 362 to 560 defined daily dose for statistical purposes per million inhabitants per day. This ranks Taiwan as 56th among 181 countries and areas according to the statistical data for 2005-2007 from the International Narcotics Control Board. Among the investigated opioids, prescriptions for transdermal fentanyl and oral morphine increased markedly from 2002 to 2007. Pethidine (meperidine) was predominantly prescribed to patients without cancer diagnoses (around 80%). The total expenditure on opioid prescriptions was US

Factors Related to Daily Life Interference in Lung Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Regression Tree Study

10.2 million in 2007 for a population of 23 million. CONCLUSION Opioid prescriptions and expenditure increased steadily from 2002 to 2007 in Taiwan, as in nearby Asian countries, but remained much lower than in developed countries. Pethidine (meperidine) was predominantly prescribed to noncancer patients, whereas morphine and fentanyl were mainly prescribed for cancer patients.

Effects of an early postoperative walking exercise programme on health status in lung cancer patients recovering from lung lobectomy

PURPOSE To identify the symptom combination patterns and symptom severity levels that induce severe symptom interference in daily life activities, including physical and psychological activity interference in lung cancer patients. METHODS In a cross-sectional descriptive study using convenience sampling, 131 participants were recruited at a medical center in northern Taiwan. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was used to assess performance status, and the Taiwanese version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-T) was used to assess symptom severity and symptom interference in daily life activities including physical and psychological activities. Regression tree models were applied to examine variable combinations for symptom interference level in daily life activities, including physical and psychological activity interference. RESULTS Study results revealed that the performance status is the key discriminator of the symptom interference level in daily life and physical activities, but distress severity is the key discriminating factor of the symptom interference level in psychological activities. The performance status and distress severity, plus other factors, further specifically show the discrimination paths and interactions between the risk groups. CONCLUSIONS This study provided an alternative approach to identify low- and high-risk groups of symptom interference among lung cancer patients in Taiwan. Increased awareness and further understanding of the risk combinations and discriminate levels of symptom severity that induced high symptom interference offer different perspectives to develop patient-centered care planning for lung cancer patient rehabilitation.

The effect of gender on health-related quality of life and related factors in post-lobectomy lung-cancer patients

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To examine the effects of an early postoperative walking exercise programme on postlobectomy lung cancer patients. BACKGROUND Few interventional studies on the postoperative health status of lung cancer patients have considered the efficacy of programmes designed to improve critical health variables. DESIGN A two-group quasi-experimental, longitudinal approach repeated four times examined participant data collected 12-18 hours prior to surgery and again at one, three and six months after surgery. METHODS We assigned the first 33 enrolled participants to the intervention group and the second 33 to the control group. The intervention was a daily supervised walking exercise programme consisting of 12 weeks of brisk walking exercise that began on the day following transfer to the regular ward along with weekly telephone calls until 12 weeks after discharge. Health status was measured using a structured questionnaire (World Health Organization Quality of Life, brief version) and clinical tests (pulmonary function test and 6-minute walk test). We analysed data using general estimating equations, with p < 0·05 considered significant. RESULTS Intervention group pulmonary and physical functions were increasingly better over time than those of the control group, with no significant difference in quality of life between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the intervention group earned significantly better values for FVC% at postoperative month 3 and for FEV1 % at postoperative months 3 and 6. Intervention group 6MWT scores were significantly better than those of the control group at postoperative months 1, 3 and 6. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated the benefits of an early postoperative walking exercise intervention for pulmonary and physical function in postlobectomy lung cancer patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The results may guide the design of appropriate interventions in the future. Clinical trials in other populations are needed to confirm the results of this study.

Post‐discharge health care needs of patients after lung cancer resection

PURPOSE While studies have documented gender differences by histologic type among lung cancer patients, the effect of these differences on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of post-lobectomy lungcancer patients and related factors remain uncertain. This study examines gender-specific HRQoL and related factors in post-lobectomy lung-cancer patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was applied. A convenience sample of 231 post-lobectomy lungcancer patients was recruited from the thoracic surgery outpatient departments of two teaching hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan from March to December 2012. Patients performed a spirometry test and completed instruments that included a Beck Depression Inventory-II, an Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, and the symptom and function scales of the Quality of Life Questionnaire. Data analysis used descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviations, frequency, and percentage values. Independent-sample Students t-tests and multivariate analyses were used for comparative purposes. RESULTS This study confirmed a significant gender effect on HRQoL and HRQoL-related factors such as marital status, religious affiliation, smoking status, histologic type, symptoms, pulmonary function, depression, and family support. Moreover, multivariate analysis found gender to be a significant determinant of the HRQoL aspects of physical functioning, emotional functioning, and cognitive functioning. Finally, results indicated that factors other than gender were also significant determinants of HRQoL. CONCLUSION Gender impacts the HRQoL and related factors of postoperative lung-cancer patients. Therefore, gender should be considered in assessing and addressing the individual care needs of these patients in order to attain optimal treatment outcomes.

Trends in Clinically Significant Pain Prevalence Among Hospitalized Cancer Patients at an Academic Hospital in Taiwan: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE To determine the health care needs of patients after surgical resection of lung cancer at discharge and evaluate the significance of factors associated with such needs. BACKGROUND Other studies have found that symptom distress level, social supports and health beliefs are associated with health care needs. Design.  Sixty-two participants were recruited from a thoracic surgery clinic at a medical centre in Taipei from July-December 2005. Data related to demographic variables, disease characteristics, functional status, symptom distress and social support were collected. METHODS The patients were administered the Karnofsky Performance Scale, the Symptom Distress Scale-Chinese Modified Form, the Social Support Scale (adapted from the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List), the Health Needs Scale and self-reported rating scales for pain. Data were analysed using Pearsons correlation coefficients and linear regression models. RESULTS Pulmonary function was found to be correlated with the level of need for health care information and physiological care. Self-perceived symptom distress and degree of distress were also correlated with levels of need for information, physiological care and psychosocial care. The level of pain was found to be correlated with the level of need for health care information and physiological care. After controlling for pain level, multivariate analysis revealed that self-perceived symptom severity (p = 0·032) and degree of distress (p = 0·043) were modestly correlated with the need for health care. CONCLUSIONS Pulmonary function, self-perceived symptom distress, degree of distress and level of pain were correlated with the level of need for health care information and physiological care. Self-perceived symptom severity and degree of distress were independent predictors of health care needs. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Administration of relevant questionnaires to assess postoperative symptom distress may be necessary for optimal disease management.

Long-Term Effectiveness of Two Educational Methods on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Palliative Care Consultation Services Among Nursing Staff: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study

AbstractClinically significant pain (CSP) is one of the most common complaints among cancer patients during repeated hospitalizations, and the prevalence ranges from 24% to 86%. This study aimed to characterize the trends in CSP among cancer patients and examine the differences in the prevalence of CSP across repeated hospitalizations.A hospital-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic hospital. Patient-reported pain intensity was assessed and recorded in a nursing information system. We examined the differences in the prevalence of worst pain intensity (WPI) and last evaluated pain intensity (LPI) of ≥4 or ≥7 points among cancer inpatients from the 1st to the 18th hospitalization. Linear mixed models were used to determine the significant difference in the WPI and LPI (≥4 or ≥7 points) at each hospitalization.We examined 88,133 pain scores from the 1st to the 18th hospitalization among cancer patients. The prevalence of the 4 CSP types showed a trend toward a reduction from the 1st to the 18th hospitalization. There was a robust reduction in the CSP prevalence from the 1st to the 5th hospitalization, except in the case of LPI ≥ 7 points. The prevalence of a WPI ≥ 4 points was significantly higher (0.240-fold increase) during the 1st hospitalization than during the 5th hospitalization. For the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th hospitalizations, there was a significantly higher prevalence of a WPI ≥ 4 points compared with the 5th hospitalization. We also observed significant reductions in the prevalence of a WPI ≥ 7 points during the 1st to the 4th hospitalizations, an LPI ≥ 4 points during the 1st to the 3rd hospitalizations, and an LPI ≥ 7 points during the 1st to the 2nd hospitalization.Although the prevalence of the 4 CSP types decreased gradually, it is impossible to state the causative factors on the basis of this observational and descriptive study. The next step will examine the factors that determine the CSP prevalence among cancer patients. However, based on these positive findings, we can provide feedback to nurses, physicians, and pharmacists to empower them to be more committed to pain management.

Factors affecting the physician–patient relationship of older veterans with inadequate health literacy: an observational study

This experimental study investigated long-term effectiveness of two educational methods on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about palliative care consultation services (PCCS) among nurses, recruited from a medical center located in Northern Taiwan in 2015, using a stratified cluster sampling method, with 88 participants in multimedia (experimental) and 92 in traditional paper education (control) group. Data were collected using KAP-PCCS questionnaire before education, immediately after, and 3rd and 6th month after education. Results showed that both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI significantly increased immediately after, and at the 3rd month after education for the experimental group; the K-PCCSI remained significantly higher for the experimental group at the 6th month. The highest increase in scores for both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI was observed at the 3rd month. There was no significant change in A-PCCS in both groups after follow-up periods, when compared before education. Therefore, using multimedia every 3 months to continue strengthening their knowledge may increase the referrals of terminal patients to PCCS.