Testing interventions to strengthen individuals' personal resources in dealing with their chronic illness was identified as a research priority by the Second Conference on Research Priorities in Nursing Practice.
The aim of the proposed study is to conduct a randomized field experiment to test the effects of a self-efficacy intervention given on five occasions and designed to enhance patients' self-care self-efficacy [when combined] with usual preparation given to all patients. The hypotheses are that at 4-months and 8-months after subjects begin chemotherapy: (a) the efficacy enhancing group will have significantly higher scores on quality of life and self-care self-efficacy than the usual preparation group; and (b) the efficacy enhancing group will have significantly less symptom distress than the usual preparation group. Five efficacy enhancing interventions will be delivered in monthly 1:1 sessions. Dependent variables (a) quality of life and (b) symptom distress and the mediator variable, self-care self-efficacy, will be assessed at three time points (baseline, 4 months, and 8 months post initiation of chemotherapy). Multivariate analysis of covariance will be used to test study hypotheses. Information gained from this study will be useful in determining whether efficacy enhancing interventions given to patients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer affect quality of life, symptom distress, and self-care self-efficacy.
| Lev, E L; Daley, K M; Conner, N E et al. (2001) An intervention to increase quality of life and self-care self-efficacy and decrease symptoms in breast cancer patients. Sch Inq Nurs Pract 15:277-94 |
