TITLE:
Effectiveness of a Telenursing System on Side Effects of Chemotherapy by a Crossover Trial
AUTHORS:
Daisuke Sato, Makoto Shimoyama
KEYWORDS:
Telenursing, Outpatient Chemotherapy, Symptoms, Complications, Prevention
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
15,
2022
ABSTRACT: Background: This crossover trial aimed to examine the efficacy of the Tele-nursing Symptom Management System for Chemotherapy in Outpatient Treatment (T-SCOT) in reducing the side effects in patients undergoing out-patient chemotherapy. Methods: Using a tablet computer, participants were asked to provide information on various items, including fever, nausea, hair loss, fatigue, and vital signs. Both the participants and researchers automati-cally monitored time-dependent changes in symptoms, and the researchers proposed concrete measures to reduce patients’ complications. The primary endpoint was the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-J) score. The secondary endpoint, Quality of Life (QOL) was evaluated using the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Cancer Patients Treated with Anticancer Drugs (QOL- ACD). Results: This study included 20 patients who met all the inclusion cri-teria, 14 of whom agreed to participate in the study. There was no significant difference between the MDASI-J and QOL-ACD pre- and post-comparison of the primary and secondary evaluations in the intervention group. The control group had significantly higher scores 3 months after the intervention for symptom intensity (p = 0.04) and symptom-induced disruption to life (p = 0.03), and the symptoms worsened. The QOL-ACD had significantly lower scores for activity (p = 0.03), overall QOL (p = 0.04), and total QOL score (p = 0.02), resulting in a lower quality of life. Conclusions: Participants used the Internet to obtain information on treatments and side effects and changed their behavior in daily life. It is speculated that the Information and Commu-nications Technology (ICT) literacy in older adults has improved, and they are benefiting from digital utilization.