Efficacy of self-care strategies programme and acupressure on nausea, vomiting and quality of life in cancer chemotherapy

Abstract

Objectives: This study used a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness (changes in experiences of nausea, vomiting, and quality of life) of a self-care strategies program (SCSP), and acupressure by means of Sea-BandTM for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Method: Using a repeated measure design, 92 chemotherapy-naive cancer patients at an oncology unit of a university cancer center in Mainland China were randomized to three groups - 63 subjects to two experimental groups and the remaining 29 subjects to the control group. The first treatment group (Experimental Group A) included a Self-Care Strategies Program intervention and conventional therapy. The second experimental group (Experimental Group B) used the Self-Care Strategies Program and PC-6 acupressure therapy together with conventional therapy. The control group (Experimental Group C) received conventional therapy only. Instruments used for data collection included Chinese version of the Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting Form 2 (INV-2) which was used at the baseline, prior to initiation of the first cycle of chemotherapy and then daily for the first five days following chemotherapy treatment sessions of the first and second cycles of chemotherapy treatment. Quality of Life was measured by the Chinese Version Four of Functional Assessment of the Cancer Therapy General Scale (FACT-G 4) (measuring before initiating the first cycle of chemotherapy (Tl) and five days after the start of the first and second cycles of chemotherapy (T2 and T3, respectively). Results: Prior to treatment, there were no significant differences in the outcome measures (nausea, vomiting, and quality of life) among the three groups. Non-parametric analysis demonstrated no significant differences in 'between-group' measures among the three groups for nausea and/or vomiting experience and Quality of Life. However, there were clinical effects in 'within-group' measures, indicating that after three weeks of treatment, the participants in the experimental groups had attained an improved Quality of Life. There were no significant differences in the experience of nausea and/or vomiting between groups T2 and T3. However, the analysis demonstrated a trend towards attenuation in nausea and vomiting in experimental group 2, as reflected by the absolute value of the medians. Conclusions: First, the Self-Care Strategies Program group based on the PRECEDE model and self-efficacy theory has demonstrated a positive clinical effect in reducing nausea and vomiting, and in improving Quality of Life for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment. Second, the Self-Care Strategies Program and PC-6 acupressure therapy combined group has also demonstrated a positive clinical effect in improving Quality of Life for cancer patient experiencing chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.