The purpose of this study was to explore the symptom distress, performance of daily living, perception of chemotherapy experiences and home care needs in clients receiving cancer chemotherapy in an outpatient setting. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used for the study. Research instruments included Symptom Distress Scale-Chinese Modified Form (SDS-CMF), Performance of Daily Living Scale, Perception of Chemotherapy Experience Index, Home Care Needs Assessment Form, and Demographic Data Form. Eighty subjects receiving chemotherapy within recent months were recruited from an outpatient chemotherapy center in a university-based teaching hospital in Taipei. In general, subjects did not have severe symptom distress. The ten distressful symptoms in descending order were appetite change, fatigue, appearance change, nausea frequency, nausea intensity, outlook, restless, sexuality change, insomnia, and pain intensity. The major influences of chemotherapy on performance in daily life were on work and social activities. The three major home care needs were health teaching, psychological support and managing emergency situations. Subjects with higher symptom distress had higher home care needs (r=.38, p<.0005). The results suggested that the level of symptom distress should be used as a clinical indicator to provide further home care nursing services.
The purpose of this study was to explore the symptom distress, performance of daily living, perception of chemotherapy experiences and home care needs in clients receiving cancer chemotherapy in an outpatient setting. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used for the study. Research instruments included Symptom Distress Scale-Chinese Modified Form (SDS-CMF), Performance of Daily Living Scale, Perception of Chemotherapy Experience Index, Home Care Needs Assessment Form, and Demographic Data Form. Eighty subjects receiving chemotherapy within recent months were recruited from an outpatient chemotherapy center in a university-based teaching hospital in Taipei. In general, subjects did not have severe symptom distress. The ten distressful symptoms in descending order were appetite change, fatigue, appearance change, nausea frequency, nausea intensity, outlook, restless, sexuality change, insomnia, and pain intensity. The major influences of chemotherapy on performance in daily life were on work and social activities. The three major home care needs were health teaching, psychological support and managing emergency situations. Subjects with higher symptom distress had higher home care needs (r=.38, p<.0005). The results suggested that the level of symptom distress should be used as a clinical indicator to provide further home care nursing services.