Cancer Management and Research (Feb 2021)
Prevalence of Fatigue and Associated Factors Among Cancer Patients Attending Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Teka Nugusse,1 Semarya Berhe Lemlem,2 Jembere Deressa,2 Sezer Kisa3 1Department of Nursing, Ayder Specialized Referral Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia; 2Department of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 3Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, NorwayCorrespondence: Jembere DeressaDepartment of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel +251 912782147Email [email protected]: Fatigue is a subjective and distressing symptom in cancer patients and has profound effects on daily life. The rates of fatigue during treatment are reported to be 25– 90%. Its causes are secondary to their treatment course, cancer itself and associated factors.Purpose: To assess the prevalence of fatigue and associated factors among cancer patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted on cancer patients undergoing treatment in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. A sample of 278 was selected using systematic random sampling technique and Brief Fatigue Inventory questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 and transferred to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to summarize the data. The significant statistical test was determined at 95% confidence interval and at p< 0.05.Results: The mean age of the participants was 44.9 ± 14 years. The prevalence of fatigue identified by this study was 208 (74.8%). Age, stage of cancer, presence of infection, type of cancer, and type of treatment had shown a significant association with fatigue [AOR = 3.15, 95% CI: (1.35– 7.34)], [AOR = 0.02, 95% CI: (0.003– 0.172)], [AOR = 4.15, 95% CI: (1.06– 16.07)], [AOR = 5.19, 95% CI: (1.59– 16.90)], [AOR = 0.18, 95% CI: (0.07– 0.462)] respectively.Conclusion: The prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients in this study was high. Risk factors were age of the patients, stage of cancer, presence of infection, cervical cancer and radiation therapy.Keywords: cancer, fatigue, chemotherapy, specialized hospital, Ethiopia
