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Symptoms overlooked in hospitalized cancer patients: Impact of concurrent symptoms on overlooked by nurses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Kaya Miyajima ,
Daisuke Fujisawa ,
Saori Hashiguchi ,
Joichiro Shirahase ,
Masaru Mimura ,
Haruo Kashima  and
Junzo Takeda
Kaya Miyajima*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan Division of Palliative Care, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Daisuke Fujisawa
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan Psycho-oncology Division, National Cancer Center East, Chiba, Japan
Saori Hashiguchi
Affiliation:
Division of Palliative Care, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
Joichiro Shirahase
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan Division of Palliative Care, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Masaru Mimura
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
Haruo Kashima
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan International University of Health and Welfare, Tochigi, Japan
Junzo Takeda
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Kaya Miyajima, Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. E-mail: qq923st9@tiara.ocn.ne.jp
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Abstract

Objective:

Physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients are frequently overlooked by medical staff. However, little is known regarding the potential impacts of concurrent physical and psychological symptoms on the overlooking of other symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of concurrent symptoms on the overlooking of other symptoms in cancer inpatients.

Method:

A total of 255 cancer inpatients in the general wards of one university hospital, who were referred to the palliative care team, were included. On the day of referral, nurses and patients were independently assessed for the presence of the following eight symptoms: pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, dry mouth, sleep problems, and distressed feelings. The presence of delirium was also separately assessed by nurses and psychiatrists on the team. A total of nine symptoms detected by nurses and those reported by patients or psychiatrists were compared, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with the overlooking of these symptoms.

Results:

The most frequently reported symptom was pain (76.5%), followed by distressed feelings (49.8%), sleep problems (34.1%), and delirium (25.1%). The proportion of those overlooked was more than one quarter (25.0–63.6%) for all symptoms except pain (12.8%). Significant associations were found between the overlooking of shortness of breath and concurrent delirium (odds ratio [OR] = 110.9); the overlooking of sleep problems and concurrent lack of appetite (OR = 9.1); and the overlooking of distressed feelings and concurrent dry mouth (OR = 27.7). No patient demographic characteristic was associated with the overlooking of any other symptoms.

Significance of results:

The presence of some specific concurrent symptoms is likely to lead to the overlooking of other symptoms in cancer inpatients by nurses. Comprehensive assessments of physical and psychological symptoms in daily clinical practice are needed.

Keywords

Palliative careCancerDetection of symptomsOverlookingRecognition
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 95 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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