Abstract
Introduction: Despite significant advances in medicine, cancer remains one of the most important diseases of the present century. One of the most common and debilitating cancer-related problems experienced by patients at any stage of the disease is fatigue, which may be due to a disease or related treatment that is called cancer-related fatigue. The present study aimed at determining the relationship between demographic and clinical factors and cancer-related fatigue in patients referring to oncology clinics.
Methods: A total of 160 cancer patients entered the present descriptive-correlational study. The participants were selected based on convenience sampling. Data collection tools included demographic information and a multidimensional fatigue symptom inventory-short form. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS 22.
Results: The results of the independent t test demonstrated a significant difference in the mean total score of fatigue in patients with and without a family history of cancer (P=0.016, t=2.429). However, no significant difference was observed between the mean total score of fatigue in patients with and without a history of drug use (P=0.314, t=-1.010). The results of a one-way analysis of variance revealed that there was no significant difference between marital status and general level of fatigue (P=0.122, F=1.961).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, the type of treatment and family history of cancer were linked to cancer-related fatigue. This suggests that, in addition to offering physical care and nursing interventions, considering the demographic and clinical aspects of cancer patients can be crucial in effectively addressing fatigue in these individuals.