Effectiveness of Self-Care Practices Education Program on Enhancing Chemotherapy Adverse Effects and Quality of Life for Patients with Gastric Cancer

chemotherapy result in many bothersome physical adverse effects and psychosocial problems,
which negatively impact patients' quality of life (QoL). Effective self-care education about
chemotherapy's adverse effects aids patients in better managing them, adapting to chemotherapy,
and improving treatment outcomes. Furthermore, boosting cancer patients' confidence about their
ability on performing self-care strategies could have a significant impact in enhancing their
functioning role and quality of life. Study aim: evaluate the effectiveness of self-care practices
education program on enhancing chemotherapy adverse effects and quality of life for patients with
gastric cancer. Study Design: a quasi-experimental design. Setting: Oncology and chemotherapy
outpatient clinic at Zagazig University Hospitals, Al Sharkia governorate, Egypt. Subject: A
Purposive sample of 50 adult patients with GC receiving chemotherapy. Tools: Interview
questionnaire, Self-reported chemotherapy adverse effects questionnaire, Self-care practices
questionnaire, and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire to measure patients' QoL. Results: the highest
percentage of studied patients (54%, 56%, 56%, 36.0%, and 52%) were
urban, had mid qualification and smokers respectively. There was a statistically significant
difference and improvement in patients' total knowledge, chemotherapy adverse effects, self-care
practices toward these adverse effects, and quality of life at the post-intervention phase of the
program as compared to the pre-intervention phase (p=0.0001). Patients' knowledge and self-care
practices improvement correlated positively with QoL and negatively with chemotherapy adverse
effects that correlated negatively with QoL. Conclusions: Self-care practices education program
had an effective role in improving knowledge and self-care practices of patients with GC toward
chemotherapy adverse-effects, which resulted in decreasing these adverse-effects and enhancing
their quality of life. Recommendations: Availability of Self-care practices education programs and
guidebooks in all Egyptian Oncology Centers for patients with GC is recommended to inform them
about chemotherapy adverse effects and self-care strategies to handle it in a specific and
comprehensive manner.