Factors Influencing the Demoralisation Syndrome of Post-Operative Patients With Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Yuxin Huang, Panpan Zhuang, Aixuan Guan and 2 others
PMID 39731467WHAT IT FOUND
Among 237 post-operative breast cancer patients, 37.6% had moderate to severe demoralisation.
Lower income, later cancer stage, recurrence, poorer relationship quality and worse body image were linked to higher demoralisation scores.
Key findings
01In 237 analysed post-operative breast cancer patients, 22.8% had moderate demoralisation and 14.8% had severe demoralisation.
02Higher demoralisation scores were associated with more body-image disturbance and less relationship satisfaction.
03Income, cancer stage, recurrence, relationship quality and body image were independent factors associated with demoralisation scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample from one hospital in Fujian Province, so it may not represent post-operative breast cancer patients in China. It was cross-sectional, so it can show associations but cannot show that income, stage, recurrence, relationship quality or body image caused demoralisation. Data were self-reported, and patients were excluded if nurses judged them too distressed or anxious, which may understate demoralisation in the most distressed patients. The authors report limitations in sample size and say they could not compare demoralisation over different post-operative times. The article gives inconsistent ethics statements, saying approval and consent were obtained, then saying approval was not required because the survey was anonymous. The text and tables label some scale means inconsistently, so the exact QRI and BIS means are hard to verify.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not report a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that improving body image or relationship quality will reduce demoralisation. This study measured associations at one time and did not test any treatment.