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Breast‐Cancer‐Related Lymphedema: Information, Symptoms, and Risk‐Reduction Behaviors
Author(s) -
Fu Mei R.,
Axelrod Deborah,
Haber Judith
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of nursing scholarship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 1527-6546
DOI - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2008.00248.x
Subject(s) - lymphedema , medicine , checklist , breast cancer , cancer , physical therapy , family medicine , descriptive statistics , psychology , statistics , mathematics , cognitive psychology
Purpose: To explore the effect of providing lymphedema information on breast cancer survivors' symptoms and practice of risk‐reduction behaviors.Design: A cross‐sectional design was used to obtain data from 136 breast‐cancer survivors in New York City from August 2006 to May 2007. Descriptive statistics, t tests, chi‐square tests, and correlations were calculated.Methods: Data were collected using a demographic and medical information interview tool, two questions regarding status of receiving lymphedema information, the Lymphedema and Breast Cancer Questionnaire, and Lymphedema Risk‐Reduction Behavior Checklist.Findings: Fifty‐seven percent of the participants reported that they received lymphedema information. On average, participants had three lymphedema‐related symptoms. Only 18% of participants were free of symptoms. Participants who received information reported significantly fewer symptoms (t=3.03; p<0.00) and practicing more risk‐reduction behaviors (t=2.42; p=0.01).Conclusions: Providing lymphedema information has an effect on symptom reduction and more risk‐reduction behaviors being practiced among breast cancer survivors.Clinical Relevance: In clinical practice, nurses and other healthcare professionals could consider taking the initiative to provide adequate and accurate information and engage breast‐cancer survivors in supportive dialogues concerning lymphedema risk‐reduction.