2Kayseri Özvatan National Education Directorate, Özvatan Multi-Program Anatolian High School, Patient and Elderly Services, KAYSERI Introduction: This study aimed to examine the functional status and symptoms of elderly individuals with haematological cancer receiving chemotherapy.
Materials and Method: This descriptive study was conducted with 69 individuals with haematological cancer aged 65 years and over, who were receiving at least two cycles of chemotherapy in an Oncology Hospital in a Turkish university between October 2013 and April 2015. Ethics committee approval was obtained. The power of the study was 0.90 and the effect size was 1.08. Data were collected using a patient information form, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), the Functional Living Index–Cancer (FLIC); p < 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant.
Results: The highest ESAS mean score was observed for fatigue (5.82 ± 3.61). Evaluation of FLIC and subscale mean scores showed that participants had a good functional status and quality of life. Significantly more symptoms were experienced in participants who were female, in the group aged 75 years and over, had diagnosis duration of 7 months and longer (p< 0.05). There were positive correlations between nausea and Functional Living Index total scores.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that fatigue is the most common symptom. When assessed with FLIC, overall patientsÂ’ functional status and quality of life are good. It is recommended that counseling by evaluating symptoms of elderly patients with haematological cancer, and the effect these symptoms have on their functional status.
Keywords : Neoplasms, Drug Therapy, Symptom Assessment, Geriatric Nursing