PENGARUH SYMPTOM CLUSTER DAN SYMPTOM ALLEVIATION SELF CARE TERHADAP QUALITY OF LIFE PADA PASIEN KANKER KEPALA DAN LEHER

Abstract

Wyssie Ika Sari Symptom Clusters and Symptom Alleviation Self-Care on Quality of Life in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Patients with head and neck cancer will experience a variety of individual symptoms which form symptom clusters. These patients use a self-care method to ease the symptom clusters and is known as symptom alleviation self-care. Proper identification of symptom clusters and symptom alleviation self-care is fundamental for the success of symptom or disease management, which affects the patients’ quality of life. This study aimed to determine the effects of symptom clusters grouping and symptom alleviation self-care on the quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer. This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional approach. A consecutive sampling technique was used to recruit the samples, consisting of 111 patients in RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang, RSUD Tugurejo Semarang, and RSUD Temanggung. Data were analyzed using Spearman Rho test and multiple regression. The results showed that symptom clusters were influenced by sex, analgesic use, treatment modalities, and the stage of cancer. There were correlation between symptom clusters and symptom alleviation self-care, as well as correlation of symptom clusters and symptom alleviation self-care on the quality of life. The result of multiple regression analysis showed that symptom clusters had the most dominant effect on the quality of life of the patients, in which the sub-variables of sickness, gastrointestinal and emotional symptom clusters contributed 90% to the symptom scale/ item of quality of life. Symptom alleviation self-care had the greatest effect on the sub-variable symptom scale/ item of quality of life (29%). The symptom clusters and symptom alleviation self-care were varied and highly individualized in impacting the quality of life. Proper identification of symptom clusters and symptom alleviation self-care by nurses is fundamental to the success of symptom or disease management to improve the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer. Keywords: Symptom clusters, symptom alleviation self-care, quality of life, head and neck cancer patients