Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of psychosocial intervention on depression, hope and quality of life of home-based cancer patients.
METHODS
The study design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Data were collected from September 21 to November 13, 2009. The subjects consisted of 81 cancer patients randomly selected who were registered at four public health center in Daegu, Korea. The 39 subjects in the experimental group received a psychosocial intervention and the 42 subjects in the control group received the usual nursing care. The weekly psychosocial Intervention protocol was comprised of health education, stress management, coping skill training and support (60 min) for eight weeks. Data were analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program.
RESULTS
Depression (F=23.303, p<.001) scores in the experimental group were significantly less than that of the control group. Further, hope (F=58.842, p<.001) and quality of life (F=31.515, p<.001) scores were significantly higher than those reported by the control group.
CONCLUSION
The findings indicate that the psychosocial intervention was an effective intervention in decreasing depression and increasing hope and quality of life of home-based cancer patients.

• Keywords: Psychosocial intervention; Cancer; Depression; Hope; Quality of life