Abstract:
This research aimed to study the quality of life, to investigate symptom experiences, symptom management strategies and to examine the relationships between symptom experiences, social support, severity of skin tissue damage and quality of life. Ninety-five participants using simple random sampling technique from those who had been diagnosed with obstructive uropathy due to pelvic malignancies receiving percutaneous nephrostomy more 3 months when who came to tertiary hospitals in Bangkok for their follow-up care and change percutaneous nephrostomy. Data were collected by using 5 parts of questionnaires: (1) Patients demographic data and treatment record forms, (2) The quality of life index, (3) The symptom experience assessment scale and symptom management strategies assessment, (4) Social support questionnaire and (5) The skin assessment tool. Content validity was examined by five experts. Internal consistency reliability for the second, the third and the fourth parts of the questionnaires tested by Cronbachs alpha coefficient were 91, .91 and .93, respectively. The skin assessment tool tested by inter-rater reliability was .90. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation and Spearman rank correlation coefficient were used in data analysis. The major results of this research were as follow: 1. The quality of life in the participants were at a moderate level (Mean= 66.34, SD=14.55). 2. Symptom experiences were negatively related to the quality of life with statistical significance (r= -.54, p<.05). Social support was positively related to the quality of life with statistical significance (r = .27, p<.05) and severity of skin tissue damage were negatively related to the quality of life with statistical significance (r = -.35, p< .05). 3. The top five symptom experiences were found in participants such as itching at the skin around percutaneous nephrostomy insertion, constipation, difficult sleeping, lacking of appetite and worrying. 4. The five symptom management strategies of participants included applying alcohol on itching the skin around percutaneous nephrostomy, having laxative for constipation, taking sleeping pill when difficult sleeping, changing the food category when lacking of appetite and talking to someone in case of worrying.