Assessment of the Awareness in Management of Chemotherapy Related Adverse Effects Experienced by Cancer Patients at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Abstract: Cancer accounts for majority of the disease related deaths all over the world. Although cancer can be treated with chemotherapy successfully, the burden of chemotherapy related side effects makes a negative impact about the treatment in patients. The study was carried out in the purpose of assessment of awareness in management of chemotherapy related adverse effects experienced by the cancer patients at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, Sri Lanka. Moreover, it focused on the patients’ knowledge on the disease and the treatment schedule and the most frequently experienced side effects by the patients. This is a single centre descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population of 155 cancer patients with multiple carcinomas, attending medical oncology clinics at Apeksha Hospital was selected randomly. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to gather information. Collected data was analysed by SPSS Version 23 software. The diagnosis of the disease was known by almost all the participants. The names of the chemotherapy medicines receiving were fully known by only one fifth of the total population. Most commonly experienced adverse effect among the population was fatigue. Drinking adequate amount of fluid had been the most frequently followed instruction in order to minimize the adverse effects. Discussions with healthcare professionals were chosen as the most effective way of having information. Discomfort due to chemotherapy related adverse effects may cause delay or early termination of treatments and increase unnecessary hospital admissions. A thorough counselling in managing the adverse effects accounts a better quality of life to the patient.