The Effects of a Nutrition Promotion Program on Clinical Outcomes in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

     This quasi-experimental one group pre-posttest design research aimed to examine the effectiveness of a nutrition promotion program on clinical outcomes in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Phrapokklao Hospital Chanthaburi. A total of 37 cancer patients were recruited using purposive sampling. The study was conducted between May and December 2021. The research instruments included a nutritional promotion program with a content validity index of .83, a general information questionnaire, a nutrition assessment questionnaire, a notebook for recording the type of food selection, and a Line application food tracking record form with a content validity index of 1.00 and 1.00, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.

      The research results indicated that, after participating in the program, the median white blood cell count in the blood of the sample (Mdn=6,660, IQR=3,965) was higher than before (Mdn=5,690, IQR=3,210) with statistical significance (z=-3.07, p-value <.001). The albumin level in blood after participating in the program (M=4.46, SD=.39) was also higher than before (M=4.00, SD=.56) with statistical significance (t=3.25, p<.001). On the other hand, the body mass index of  the participants (M=20.81, SD=3.80) was lower than before (M=21.32, SD=4.12) with statistical significance (t=-4.79, p-value <.001).

      Nutrition promotion programs are an option for nurses and healthcare teams to apply to promote nutritional status in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, so to promote patient's readiness for chemotherapy and reduce the loss of treatment opportunities.