CN85 - Empowering patient education to enhance self-care of nutritional side-effects during the chemotherapy

Background

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer globally. Due to short care contacts, patient empowerment in self-care is of particular importance. Because nutritional side-effects may increase risk of malnutrition and treatment toxicity, we developed an empowering patient education intervention to support side effects’ self-care among people with colorectal cancer.

Methods

The intervention was developed in collaboration with multidisciplinary team and patient representatives and tested in a randomised controlled trial (n = 43 + 40). A nurse-led one-hour face-to-face education session was conducted after the 2nd chemotherapy cycle. Empowering education comprised of bio-physiological, functional, experiential, and ethical knowledge. Self-monitoring diaries were used to monitor side effects’ incidence and intensity (NRS 0–10) before and after self-care methods. The intensity was categorised based on the proposed cut-off points. The data was collected over four chemotherapy cycles. Other outcomes were activation and knowledge level, as well as additional contacts to the cancer clinic. The hypothesis was that the incidence and intensity of side-effects were lower in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Results

There was no difference in the incidence and intensity of side effects between groups. In the intervention group, there was a statistically significant reduction in the number of contacts with the clinic and improvement in the knowledge level associated with malnutrition. In the intervention group, activation levels increased which did not occur in the control group.

Conclusions

Empowering patient education may have a positive effect on the self-care of side-effects. The differences between the groups indicate that patients are well informed about side effects and their self-care, but more information should be provided on malnutrition and its prevention. Empowering patient education can be used to support people to manage their side effects at home and reduce the need to contact health professionals between chemotherapy cycles.

Clinical trial identification

NCT04160650; Release date: 9.11.2019.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

The Helsinki University Hospital Nursing Research Centre, The Helsinki University Hospital Cancer Centre and the University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.