Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy

Morven Miller; Anne Taylor; Nora Kearney; Gaye Paterson; Mary Wells; Lorna Roe; Suzanne Hagen; Roma Maguire

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.009

Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy

Morven Miller, Anne Taylor, Nora Kearney, Gaye Paterson, Mary Wells, Lorna Roe, Suzanne Hagen, Roma Maguire

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing chemotherapy for many cancer types may experience oral problems, such as mucositis and any deterioration in the health of the oral cavity can have a significant effect on a person's well-being. Trends towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in out-patient chemotherapy mean that patients are required to adopt increasingly participatory roles in their self-care and are subsequently coping with mouth problems while they are at home without the direct support of oncology health professionals.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of an oral care diary by patients receiving chemotherapy.

DESIGN: An oral care diary was developed to incorporate oral assessment using the Oral Assessment Guide (Eilier, J., Berger, A., Peterson, M., 1988. Development, testing and application of the oral assessment guide. Oncology Nurse Forum 15, 325-330) and guidance about oral self-care. This exploratory study utilised purpose designed pre- and post-study questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to evaluate patients' perceptions and experiences of the oral care diary.

SETTING: The study took place in 2-day chemotherapy units in Scotland: 1 in a cancer centre and 1 in a district general hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of patients (n=45) receiving out-patient chemotherapy for a range of cancer diagnoses participated in the study over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.

METHODS: Following recruitment, patients were instructed in the use of the oral care diary to assess their mouth daily while at home on a daily basis. Patients were asked to complete 2 structured purpose designed questionnaires-the first prior to starting diary completion and the second following their participation in the study. Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their actual experiences of using the oral care diary in more depth.

RESULTS: The participants found the oral care diary acceptable and feasible. Awareness of oral symptoms and related mouth self-care post-chemotherapy improved.

CONCLUSIONS: The oral care diary is an acceptable and feasible method of enhancing oral self-care during a course of chemotherapy. Further study is required to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	693-701
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Nursing Studies
Volume	44
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.009
Publication status	Published - 31 Jul 2007
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

oral hygiene
patient acceptance of health care
nursing evaluation research

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10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.009

Cite this

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title = "Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing chemotherapy for many cancer types may experience oral problems, such as mucositis and any deterioration in the health of the oral cavity can have a significant effect on a person's well-being. Trends towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in out-patient chemotherapy mean that patients are required to adopt increasingly participatory roles in their self-care and are subsequently coping with mouth problems while they are at home without the direct support of oncology health professionals.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of an oral care diary by patients receiving chemotherapy.DESIGN: An oral care diary was developed to incorporate oral assessment using the Oral Assessment Guide (Eilier, J., Berger, A., Peterson, M., 1988. Development, testing and application of the oral assessment guide. Oncology Nurse Forum 15, 325-330) and guidance about oral self-care. This exploratory study utilised purpose designed pre- and post-study questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to evaluate patients' perceptions and experiences of the oral care diary.SETTING: The study took place in 2-day chemotherapy units in Scotland: 1 in a cancer centre and 1 in a district general hospital.PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of patients (n=45) receiving out-patient chemotherapy for a range of cancer diagnoses participated in the study over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.METHODS: Following recruitment, patients were instructed in the use of the oral care diary to assess their mouth daily while at home on a daily basis. Patients were asked to complete 2 structured purpose designed questionnaires-the first prior to starting diary completion and the second following their participation in the study. Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their actual experiences of using the oral care diary in more depth.RESULTS: The participants found the oral care diary acceptable and feasible. Awareness of oral symptoms and related mouth self-care post-chemotherapy improved.CONCLUSIONS: The oral care diary is an acceptable and feasible method of enhancing oral self-care during a course of chemotherapy. Further study is required to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.",

keywords = "oral hygiene, patient acceptance of health care, nursing evaluation research",

author = "Morven Miller and Anne Taylor and Nora Kearney and Gaye Paterson and Mary Wells and Lorna Roe and Suzanne Hagen and Roma Maguire",

year = "2007",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.009",

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volume = "44",

pages = "693--701",

journal = "International Journal of Nursing Studies",

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T1 - Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy

AU - Miller, Morven

AU - Taylor, Anne

AU - Kearney, Nora

AU - Paterson, Gaye

AU - Wells, Mary

AU - Roe, Lorna

AU - Hagen, Suzanne

AU - Maguire, Roma

PY - 2007/7/31

Y1 - 2007/7/31

N2 - BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing chemotherapy for many cancer types may experience oral problems, such as mucositis and any deterioration in the health of the oral cavity can have a significant effect on a person's well-being. Trends towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in out-patient chemotherapy mean that patients are required to adopt increasingly participatory roles in their self-care and are subsequently coping with mouth problems while they are at home without the direct support of oncology health professionals.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of an oral care diary by patients receiving chemotherapy.DESIGN: An oral care diary was developed to incorporate oral assessment using the Oral Assessment Guide (Eilier, J., Berger, A., Peterson, M., 1988. Development, testing and application of the oral assessment guide. Oncology Nurse Forum 15, 325-330) and guidance about oral self-care. This exploratory study utilised purpose designed pre- and post-study questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to evaluate patients' perceptions and experiences of the oral care diary.SETTING: The study took place in 2-day chemotherapy units in Scotland: 1 in a cancer centre and 1 in a district general hospital.PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of patients (n=45) receiving out-patient chemotherapy for a range of cancer diagnoses participated in the study over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.METHODS: Following recruitment, patients were instructed in the use of the oral care diary to assess their mouth daily while at home on a daily basis. Patients were asked to complete 2 structured purpose designed questionnaires-the first prior to starting diary completion and the second following their participation in the study. Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their actual experiences of using the oral care diary in more depth.RESULTS: The participants found the oral care diary acceptable and feasible. Awareness of oral symptoms and related mouth self-care post-chemotherapy improved.CONCLUSIONS: The oral care diary is an acceptable and feasible method of enhancing oral self-care during a course of chemotherapy. Further study is required to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.

AB - BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing chemotherapy for many cancer types may experience oral problems, such as mucositis and any deterioration in the health of the oral cavity can have a significant effect on a person's well-being. Trends towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in out-patient chemotherapy mean that patients are required to adopt increasingly participatory roles in their self-care and are subsequently coping with mouth problems while they are at home without the direct support of oncology health professionals.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of an oral care diary by patients receiving chemotherapy.DESIGN: An oral care diary was developed to incorporate oral assessment using the Oral Assessment Guide (Eilier, J., Berger, A., Peterson, M., 1988. Development, testing and application of the oral assessment guide. Oncology Nurse Forum 15, 325-330) and guidance about oral self-care. This exploratory study utilised purpose designed pre- and post-study questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to evaluate patients' perceptions and experiences of the oral care diary.SETTING: The study took place in 2-day chemotherapy units in Scotland: 1 in a cancer centre and 1 in a district general hospital.PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of patients (n=45) receiving out-patient chemotherapy for a range of cancer diagnoses participated in the study over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.METHODS: Following recruitment, patients were instructed in the use of the oral care diary to assess their mouth daily while at home on a daily basis. Patients were asked to complete 2 structured purpose designed questionnaires-the first prior to starting diary completion and the second following their participation in the study. Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their actual experiences of using the oral care diary in more depth.RESULTS: The participants found the oral care diary acceptable and feasible. Awareness of oral symptoms and related mouth self-care post-chemotherapy improved.CONCLUSIONS: The oral care diary is an acceptable and feasible method of enhancing oral self-care during a course of chemotherapy. Further study is required to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.

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KW - patient acceptance of health care

KW - nursing evaluation research

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DO - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.009

M3 - Article

C2 - 16545385

SN - 0020-7489

VL - 44

SP - 693

EP - 701

JO - International Journal of Nursing Studies

JF - International Journal of Nursing Studies

IS - 5

ER -

Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy

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Keywords

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