THE EFFECT OF BUDDHIST CARE PROGRAM ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA

Abstract

Purpose: to compare the effect of Buddhist care program on Health-related Quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) before and after finished receiving the program at the hospital, and at home  and 6^th week in the follow up period.

Design: This study was a Quasi experimental with single-group time-series design;4 times measurement at different time points

Methods: The samples were 24 advanced cholangiocarcinoma patients who were Buddhist, age 20 years old and over. The instruments were Demographic data record form, the Buddhist care program, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Palliative Care (FACIT-Pal) in Thai version, and the Buddhist Death Acceptance scale, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the last two instrument were 0.94 and 0.73, respectively. The participants received usual nursing care and Buddhist care program in hospital and take it to practice at home. Data were analyzed using repeated measure one-way analysis of variance (One-way repeated ANOVA)

Result:  The mean scores of overall HRQOL in  advanced cholangiocarcinoma patients after receiving the program at the hospital  and  at home  were significantly higher than before receiving the program (p< .05).  But there was no difference mean scores of overall HRQOL between the 6th week follow-up period and before receiving the program. However, mean scores of the emotional well-being dimension after receiving the program in the follow up period at 6^th week was significantly higher than that of before receiving the program (p< .05).

Conclusion: The Buddhist care program can improve HRQOL in advanced cholangiocarcinoma patients after finished receiving the program at the hospital and at home. Moreover, the program’s outcome can continue to enhance the emotional well-being of patients in the follow up period.