Investigating the effect of Integrated Educational Program on the Quality of Life among Cancer Patients: A Clinical Trial Study

BACKGROUND: cancer is one of the most common causes of death around the world. The process of this disease and the resulting complications reduce the quality of life of cancer patients. Taking the necessary measures for improving the quality of life of these patients seems to be essential. This study was performed to investigate the effect of integrated educational program on the quality of life of cancer patients. METHODS: in this clinical trial study, 64 patients hospitalized in the specialized cancer hospital affiliated with Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Then, through blocked randomization method, they were assigned into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the necessary trainings over four 60-min sessions (one session per week). The data collection in this study included demographic questionnaire and quality-of-life questionnaire of cancer patients (QLQ-C30). The quality of life was examined before the training as well as one and two months after the training. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20. Independent t-test was used to compare the means of the life quality dimensions of the studied groups. RESULTS: all of the functional dimensions [physical, role function, emotional, cognitive, social(P≤0.05)] and symptomatic [fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, sleep disorders, diminished appetite, constipation, and diarrhea (P≤0.05)] of the quality of life of the intervention group increased significantly one and two months after running the integrated educational program. CONCLUSION: integrated training causes improved symptoms and enhanced quality of life in cancer patients. Thus, it is recommended that integrated training be conducted alongside the routine care of cancer patients. This can improve the therapeutic outcomes, and also highlights the important role of nurses as well as nursing cares.