The Effects of Chemotherapy Preparation Information on Knowledge, Readiness and Satisfaction in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

This study was a quasi-experimental research with a two-group pretest-posttest design to examine the effects of providing preparatory information for chemotherapy treatment on knowledge, readiness, and satisfaction among breast cancer patients. The sample consisted of 50 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who had never received chemotherapy and were receiving treatment at the specialized oncology clinic of Ratchaburi Hospital. The participants were divided into a control group (n=25), which received standard care, and an experimental group (n=25), which received additional preparatory information. Research instruments included a knowledge test, a readiness assessment form, and a satisfaction questionnaire, all of which were validated by three experts, yielding content validity index (CVI) scores of 0.83, 1, and 0.92, respectively. The reliability of the knowledge test was determined using the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20), yielding a value of 0.77, while the readiness assessment form and satisfaction questionnaire had Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.80 and 0.82, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and paired t-tests.

The findings revealed that (1) after receiving preparatory information, the experimental group demonstrated a significant increase in breast cancer knowledge (p=0.002); (2) no significant difference was found between the knowledge scores of the control and experimental groups; (3) both groups exhibited a high level of readiness (>92%), with the experimental group showing a higher level of readiness in preparing for CT chest and upper abdomen scans (96% vs. 92%); (4) both groups reported high satisfaction levels (mean scores ranging from 4.30 to 4.33), with a significant difference in the waiting time for appointments (p<.05).

These findings suggest that providing preparatory information can enhance the effectiveness of patient education and readiness for chemotherapy among breast cancer patients.