Sureeporn Thanasilp

The influence of symptoms, social support, uncertainty, and coping on health-related quality of life among cholangiocarcinoma patients in northeast Thailand.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important outcome for evaluating the effectiveness of cancer care. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a major public health problem in northeast Thailand. There is little information regarding factors influencing HRQOL in CCA patients. Understanding the factors affecting HRQOL in CCA patients is necessary to develop nursing interventions to improve the HRQOL. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a model that explained the influence of symptoms, social support, uncertainty, and coping on the HRQOL in CCA patients. Methods: Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, a convenience sample of 260 CCA patients were consecutively recruited from a regional hospital and a university hospital in northeast Thailand. All participants responded to a set of 6 questionnaires in structured interview format. A linear structural relationship was used to test the hypothesized model. Results: Findings revealed the hypothesized model fit the empirical data and explained 69.4% of the variance of HRQOL. Symptoms were the most influential factor affecting HRQOL directly and indirectly through uncertainty. Social support had a direct effect on HRQOL and an indirect effect on HRQOL through uncertainty. Uncertainty had a direct effect on coping and HRQOL. Coping had a nonsignificant direct effect on HRQOL. Conclusion: Symptoms, social support, and uncertainty were important factors influencing HRQOL in CCA patients. Implications for Practice: Cholangiocarcinoma is a unique yet understudied condition. Further work in developing CCA-specific HRQOL interventions is warranted.

Causal model of health: Health-related quality of life in people living with HIV/AIDS in the northern region of Thailand

The purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationships between age, antiretroviral treatment, social support, symptom experience, self-care strategies, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The subjects were 422 people living with HIV/AIDS. The data were collected via the Personal Resource Questionnaire 85 part 2, Symptom Experience Questionnaire, Self-care Strategies Questionnaire, and HRQOL Questionnaire. The results revealed that symptom experience had a significant negative direct effect on the HRQOL. Age, social support, antiretroviral treatment, and self-care strategies had a significant positive direct effect on the HRQOL. Moreover, social support and antiretroviral treatment had an indirect effect on the HRQOL via self-care strategies. The findings indicated that the health-care team should promote social support, both in the family and the community, including antiretroviral treatment, for enhanced HRQOL in people living with HIV/AIDS in the future.

Randomized controlled trial of a self-efficacy enhancement program for the cardiac rehabilitation of Thai patients with myocardial infarction.

This study examined the effects of a self-efficacy enhancement program for the cardiac rehabilitation of Thai patients who had a myocardial infarction. Sixty-six hospitalized patients of various ages and both genders were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Participants in the experimental group took part in three individualized in-hospital education sessions and three weekly sessions of telephone counseling. The control group primarily engaged in a supervised exercise and activities of a daily living performance regimen, and received education in this regard. Self-efficacy and functional status were measured via questionnaire. Four weeks after discharge, the experimental group was found to have significantly higher total self-efficacy and functional status scores than the control group. In addition, the experimental group exhibited significantly higher subscale scores on social activity, household tasks, occupation, and exercise self-efficacy than the control group. These results indicate that the program is effective in improving the self-efficacy and functional status of Thai patients who have had a myocardial infarction.

Validation of the Thai version of the Duke Activity Status Index in patients with a previous myocardial infarction

Abstract Background: The Duke Activity Status Index is a widely used instrument for measuring functional status in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, items and subscales on this instrument have not been validated for Thai patients with a previous myocardial infarction (MI). Objective: To test the reliability and validity of the Thai version of the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI-T) in Thai patients with a previous MI using a cross-sectional study design. Methods: The DASI-T was translated using forward and backward translation methods and administered to 100 MI patients from outpatient departments of two general hospitals in Thailand. Internal consistency was determined to test reliability. Two criterion measures (i.e. Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification, SF-36 physical functioning subscale) were used to test the concurrent validity of the DASI-T. Age group and CCS classification were used to determine known-groups validity of the DASI-T. Results: Cronbach’s α for the DASI-T total score was 0.76. No ceiling or floor effect was detected for the DASI-T total score. DASI-T total score was significantly correlated with the CCS classification (r = -0.68, P < 0.01) and SF-36 physical functioning subscale (r = 0.79, P < 0.01). DASI-T total scores could differentiate MI patients based on age (P = 0.040) or CCS classification (P = 0.000). Conclusion: The DASI-T is a potentially reliable and valid instrument with which to assess functional status in MI patients and is also useful to evaluate a treatment effect and be a guideline for clinical purposes (i.e. exercise prescription, risk stratification).

Death Acceptance in Vietnamese Cancer Patients: A Phenomenological Study

Introduction: To date, death acceptance is not well investigated in the Vietnamese population. Cultural influences may affect death acceptance. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe Vietnamese cancer patients’ lived experience with death acceptance. Method: Eleven Vietnamese patients with various cancer diagnoses participated in the study. Data were analyzed using the Giorgian method of data analysis. Results: Themes of death acceptance found were (1) accepting destiny, (2) knowing and sacrificing the self, (3) believing in living persons and handing over responsibilities, (4) accepting death while continuing to fight for life, and (5) looking for a “role model death.” Discussion: Death acceptance is a contextually bound concept, which needs further investigation. To help patients with their death acceptance, nurses should include spiritual support and the involvement of loved ones in patients’ care plans.

Translation and Validation of the Thai Version of a Modified Brief Pain Inventory: A Concise Instrument for Pain Assessment in Postoperative Cardiac Surgery

Acute pain after cardiac surgery can be assessed using validated instruments such as the modified interference subscale of the Brief Pain Inventory (mod‐BPI). Despite the available knowledge, the Thai version of a mod‐BPI has not yet been presented.

Effects of cold alcohol compression on pain of preschoolers receiving intravenous fluid infusion

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the effects of cold alcohol compression on pain of preschoolers receiving an intravenous (IV) fluid infusion. Methods: In this quasi-experimental, four group study, 3–5-year-old children in the intervention groups (n = 20) received cold alcohol compression 1 min before IV insertion. The control group (n = 20) received conventional nursing care. The Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale was used to assess pain intensity. The t-test was used to analyze pain. Results: The result indicated that the pain score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.01). Practice Implications: Cold alcohol compression is a time, cost-saving, and efficient method to reduce pain in preschoolers receiving the IV fluid infusion. Conclusion: Providing cold alcohol compression is the effective method which does not need intensive preparation.