Home-Based Psychoeducational Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: It is important to manage psychological distress and improve the quality of life (QOL) in patients after breast cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based, psychoeducational program on distress, anxiety, depression, and QOL in breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: The study was a single-group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design. The data were collected using the Distress Thermometer, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Turkish version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, short form. The home-based, individual, face-to-face psychoeducational program was structured according to breast cancer survivors' needs and the Neuman Systems Model.

RESULTS: A total of 32 Turkish breast cancer survivors participated in this study. There were statistically significant differences in the mean scores for distress, anxiety, and depression in the breast cancer survivors over 4 measurements. The mean scores for all subscales of the QOL at 6 months postintervention were significantly higher than the mean scores at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the psychoeducational program may be effective in reducing distress, anxiety, and depression and in improving the QOL in breast cancer survivors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Psychoeducational programs may be effective and should be considered as part of the survivorship care for breast cancer survivors.