Cancer nursing
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Comparative Study
Supporting cancer patients dying at home or at a hospital for Taiwanese family caregivers.
Most Taiwanese patients with cancer prefer to die at home, but this preference is often unexpressed due to concern about burdening family caregivers (FCs). However, few studies have compared the caregiving burden of FCs while providing end-of-life care to a relative who eventually dies at home or hospital. This prospective, longitudinal study investigated differences in amount of assistance provided, subjective caregiving burden, depressive symptoms, and quality of life between FCs of Taiwanese patients with cancer who were terminally ill, then died at home and at a hospital. ⋯ However, caregiving did not impact their health, daily schedule, perceived family support, or depressive symptoms to a greater negative extent. Instead, there is a trend for these caregivers to enjoy higher quality of life and to find more positive meaning in providing caregiving at home than do FCs whose relative died in hospital. In conclusion, supporting patients with cancer who are terminally ill and dying at home did not create a greater burden for Taiwanese FCs compared with those whose relatives are dying at a hospital.
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Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) on aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy often experience musculoskeletal symptoms (joint pain and stiffness, bone and muscle pain, and muscle weakness), and these musculoskeletal symptoms may be related to low serum levels of vitamin D. The primary purpose of this pilot exploratory study was to determine whether serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration were below normal (<30 ng/mL) in 29 BCSs on AI therapy and if musculoskeletal symptoms were related to these low vitamin D levels. The mean (SD) serum 25(OH)D level was 25.62 (4.93) ng/mL; 86% (n = 25) had levels below 30 ng/mL. ⋯ This sample of BCSs taking AIs had below normal levels of serum 25(OH)D despite vitamin D supplements. This is one of the few studies to document a significant relationship between vitamin D levels and muscle pain in BCSs on AI therapy. Findings from this pilot study can be used to inform future studies examining musculoskeletal symptoms in BCSs on AI therapy and relationships with low serum levels of vitamin D.