Effectiveness of Selected Interventions on Reduction of Holistic Symptoms and Prognosis of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer in a Selected Hospital, Kanya Kumari District

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of selected interventions on reduction of holistic symptoms and prognosis among patients with head and neck cancer. A quasi experimental pre-test post-test design was adopted with random sampling technique (random allotment of weeks: Group I-patient admitted in 1^st and 3^rdweek and Group II patient admitted in 2^ndand 4^th week).The sample of the study consisted of 200 patients (100 patients in Group I and 100 patients in Group II).Patients in the both the groups were given interventions, Group I receivedcounseling(day 1 and day7),financial support, oral care for 6 days(1-6 days) and Group II received counseling(day 1 and day 7), financial support, oral care with music therapy for 6 days(1-6 days).Pretest was done on the 1^st day and posttest was done on the 7^th day for both the groups. Data was collected with Structured questionnaire by using interview schedule to assess the socio demographic data and clinical data, Symptom checklist with 20 items to check physiological, psychological and spiritual symptoms, Universal pain assessment scale to assess the severity of pain, Sleep and physiological parameter assessment tool to evaluate sleep, blood pressure and pulse rate, Modified University of Washington quality of life questionnaire with 20 divisions to assess the quality of life, Radiation mucositis scale (standardized) to assess the intensity of the ulcer. Analysis was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Resultsshowed Group II received music therapy had significant reduction of physiological symptoms (Mean score on day 7 is 11.20 and paired‘t’ test 20.638, P value <0.001) than Group I (Mean score on day 7 is 13.82 and paired ‘t’test 14.296, P value<0.001) and psychological symptoms (Group II Mean score on day 7 is 3.32 and Group I Mean score on day 7 is 6.49, F test 167.395, P value 0.001).Oral care along with music therapy had influenced oral mucositis(In Group II on day 1, 62% had ulceration, whereas on 7^th day no one had ulceration. The average mean duration of sleep of the patients in Group II(Mean score on day 1 is 4.13, day 7 is 4.41) than Group I (Mean score on day 1 is 4.41 and on day 7 is 7.02).This showed music therapy had increased duration of sleep in Group II patients. The average mean score of quality of life of patients in Group 1 (day 1 is 26.6, day 7 is 29.44) and Group 2(day 1 is 29.44,day 7 is 51.74),F test 16.48,P value <0.001.It shows music therapy had significant influence on quality of life of life in Group II than patients in Group I. The average mean score of pain level of patients in Group I (Day 1 7.76 and day 7 6.28), GroupII (Day 1 6.28 and day 7 2.51) ANCOVA F value is 1098, P value <0.001).This showed the effectiveness of music therapy in reducing the pain. Thus the study concluded music therapy in addition to counseling; financial support and oral care had significantly reduced the holistic symptoms, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pain, oral mucositis and significantly increased the duration of sleep and quality of life.