The Effect of Symptom Management Combined with Meditation Practice on Dyspnea in Advanced Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

          This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare dyspnea of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy before and after the programs and between the experimental and control groups. The study samples were 44 patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. They were divided into 2 groups: 22 each in the experimental group and the control group, were matched by gender, age, and performance status. The control group received the conventional nursing care while the experimental group received the Self- Management combined with Meditation Practice. Data were collected using a personal characteristic form, and The Cancer Dyspnea Scale. It’s Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was at 0.74. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and t-test. The major findings were as follows:

                1. Dyspnea of lung cancer patients in the experimental group, after the received program was significantly

lower than that of the pretest phase (t=6.88; p< 0.05).

                2. Dyspnea of lung cancer patients in the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control

group (t=2.41; p< 0.05).

          The result suggests that the Symptom Management combined with Meditation Practice can reduce dyspnea in persons with lung cancer.