The effect of self-care program using Orem's self- care model on the life quality of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial

Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can have adverse effects on the life quality of women. Self-care program seems necessary to improve their quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Orem self-care model on the quality of life of women with breast cancer.
In this clinical trial, eighty women with breast cancer who came to the chemotherapy departments of oncology centers in Shiraz participated. The sampling method was as convenience method but selected samples were randomly assigned between the control and intervention groups. Orem's self-care model was taught to patients of intervention group during an eight sessions about forty-five minutes. The QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used to collect data before intervention and two weeks after the last intervention session. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 21 through descriptive and inferential statistics, taking into account the significance level of 0.05.
Significant statistical differences were reported in the sub-scales of quality of life namely global health status, physical functioning, emotional functioning, and role functioning, social functioning, body image and future perspective between the two groups after intervention. The median test has shown a significant difference (p 0.05).
Orem's self-care model has been able to improve the quality of life of women with breast cancer by reducing some of the symptoms associated with their illness and treatment.