Effect of continuous care model on fatigue among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A clinical trial

Introduction & Aim Fatigue is common complication after chemotherapy. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of continuous care model on fatigue among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 78 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Ahwaz in 2013. Firstly, paired subjects were selected among identical subjects and were randomly assigned to study and control groups. In study group, continuous care model was administrated, and Brief Fatigue Inventory was adopted to evaluate cancer patients’ fatigue. Fatigue was assessed in two time points (before intervention on day four of chemotherapy and two months after intervention). Data were analyzed by independent t- test and chi- square test through SPSS16. Results: Independent t- test showed no significant difference in mean scores of fatigue (p=0.4) between groups before intervention. But independent t- test showed a significant difference in fatigue scores between two groups after administration of continuous care model (p= 0.0001).Conclusions: With regard to results, nurses are suggested to administrate continuous care model to improvepatients’ fatigue as an available and cost effective method.

کلیدواژه ها:

Continuous care model ، fatigue ، chemotherapy ، breast cancer