The specific aims of this translational, interdisciplinary, multi-center, international research study with 300 Lung cancer patients are to: Aim 1 Explore how the patients experience the transfer between different locations and between different levels of care at the same location and how they experienced coming home. Aim 2 Explore lung cancer patients' symptoms, symptom clusters, and changes in symptoms and symptom clusters over time. Aim 3 Explore interaction between lung cancers patients' symptoms, symptom clusters, health related quality of life and social support.
Approximately 2500 patients are diagnosed with lung cancer annually i Norway, and approximately 400 of these undergo surgery. Many patients report that life after lung cancer surgery is difficult. After surgery, the patients are frequently transferred to a local hospital or to another level of care at the hospital where they were operated. The transfer is critical for patients' safety because communication failure is one of the most common causes of medical error. Studies that have analyzed the quality of life of lung cancer patients after surgery reach different conclusions about the patients' Quality of life (QOL), some studies state that lung cancer patients are back to normal quality of life after 9 months, while others indicate that the patients still have reduced QOL two years after surgery. It is difficult to assess the reason for the differences in results as most of the studies used the same QOL questionnaire. Studies that have evaluated the social support that lung cancer patients receive indicate that lung cancer patients receive less support than other cancer patients. Lung cancer patients have a wide range of physical problems (fatigue, dyspnea, coughing and pain) and psychological (depression) problems following surgery. Based on findings from this literature review a need exist for improved postoperative follow-up of patients after surgery for lung cancer The proposed study will evaluate the social support, the levels of lung cancer stigma, symptoms and changes in this over time as well as evaluate patient experience with transfer in the immediate postoperative period.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
300
Haukeland Sykehus
Bergen, Norway
Rikshospitalet, OUS
Oslo, Norway
Ullevaal University Hospital
Oslo, Norway
St. Olavs Hospital
Trondheim, Norway
Key measures that will be the focus of the study is Quality of life.
Data will be collecetd using the self administered questionnaire: EORTC QLQ-C30 + LC13
Time frame: 1 year with 5 measurement points
The total burden of symptoms will be one key measures in this observational study.
The self administered questionnaire: Memorial Assessment scale (MSAS) Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: one year with 5 measuresments
A key measure to measure fatigue will be used.
The self administered questionnaire: Lee Fatigue Scale, LFS. Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: one year with five measurements points
A key measures to measure sleep disturbances will be used.
A questionnaire: General sleep disturbances scale (GSDS). Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: One year with five measurements points
A key measures will be used to evaluate social support
The self administered questionnaire: Social Provision Scale. Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: One year with two measurements points
A self administered questionnaire to measure Anxiety
The self administered questionnaire: State and trait anxiety (STAI). Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: One year with five measurements points
A self administered questionnaire to measure pain
The self administered questionnaire: Brief Pain Inventory. Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: one year with five measurements points
Depression is a key measure
The self administered questionnaire: Self-report depression scale (CES-D). Key measures that will be used to evaluate the intervention(s) or, for observational studies, that are a focus of the study.
Time frame: One year with five measurements points
One key measures that will be used to evaluate stigma related to having lung cancer in this observational study.
Data will be collected using the self administered questionnaire: Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale (CLCSS)
Time frame: 1 year with one measurements points
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