what effects a patients course of treatment

What are examples of effects caused by treatment?

• > Cardiac effects: . Myocardial dysfunction is associated with chemotherapy, most notably from the anthracyclines and...
• > Pulmonary late effects: . These can be caused by chemotherapy or radiation to the chest. Survivors who received...
• > Secondary cancers: . The National Cancer Institute estimates that cancer survivors...

Full Answer

What are the factors that affect the effectiveness of treatment?

If a person cannot understand the treatment plan being explained, then it may not be carried out effectively, if at all. That is, if the physician can even understand the patient enough to know what is going on with them. Last, but certainly not least, there are financial factors that affect treatment.

What happens if a patient does not understand the treatment plan?

If a person cannot understand the treatment plan being explained, then it may not be carried out effectively, if at all. That is, if the physician can even understand the patient enough to know what is going on with them.

Does duration of treatment affect patient’s compliance?

Similarly, a longer duration of treatment period might also compromise patient’s compliance (Menzies et al 1993; Ghods and Nasrollahzadeh 2003; Dhanireddy et al 2005). In one trial that compared 6-month and 9-month treatment of tuberculosis, compliance rates were 60% and 50% for the two regimens, respectively (Combs et al 1987).

How do side effects of medication affect patient compliance?

The effect of side effects on compliance may be explained in terms of physical discomfort, skepticism about the efficacy of the medication, and decreasing the trust in physicians (Christensen 1978). Degree of behavioral change required

What factors affect patient compliance?

This list of potential barriers included:Demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, education, marriage status.Psychosocial factors: beliefs, motivation, attitude.Patient-prescriber relationship.Health literacy.Patient knowledge.Physical difficulties.Tobacco or alcohol intake.Forgetfulness.More items...•

What is considered a course of treatment?

A treatment plan made up of several cycles of treatment. For example, treatment given for one week followed by three weeks of rest (no treatment) is one treatment cycle. When a treatment cycle is repeated multiple times on a regular schedule, it makes up a course of treatment.

How do you explain side effects to patients?

How do you explain side effects without scaring patients?Stay calm. ... Explain all the details. ... Suggest calming techniques. ... Get to the root of the anxiety. ... Remind patients that serious side effects are unlikely. ... Focus on the positives.

How can you determine the effectiveness of a treatment?

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the most reliable methodology for assessing the efficacy of treatments in medicine. In such a trial a defined group of study patients is assigned to either receive the treatment or not, or to receive different doses of the treatment, through a formal process of randomization.

What is first course treatment?

First Course of Treatment (or Therapy) includes all methods of treatment recorded by the managing physician(s) in the treatment plan and administered before disease progression or recurrence.

What does course of illness mean?

the progress of a pathological condition or process from inception, manifestation, and diagnosis through treatment and resolution.

Why do side effects occur?

Why do side effects occur? Side effects occur because the body is a very complex. It is difficult to make a drug that targets one part of the body but that doesn't affect other parts. Developing drugs is also complicated because no two people are exactly the same.

Why is it important to inform the patient about side effects?

Conversations about adverse effects are important; patients who discussed adverse effects with their physicians are less likely to prematurely discontinue their medications than those who did not discuss adverse effects.

What would be considered an adverse effect?

Adverse effect: A harmful or abnormal result. An adverse effect may be caused by administration of a medication or by exposure to a chemical and be indicated by an untoward result such as by illness or death.

What are three factors considered to successful treatment?

The first is the use of evidence-based treatment that is deemed appropriate for your particular issue. The second important factor is the clinical expertise of the psychologist or therapist. The third factor is your own characteristics, values, preferences, and culture.

How do you evaluate client progress in therapy?

6 Progress-in-Therapy IndicatorsYour moods and emotions have improved. Depending on the reasons for entering therapy, check if any of your symptoms have improved. ... Your thinking has shifted. ... Your behaviors have changed. ... Your relationships with others are better. ... You have better life satisfaction. ... Your diagnosis changes.

How do you evaluate client progress?

How to measure achievement of client goalsChanged knowledge and access to information.Changed skills.Changed behaviours.Changed confidence to make own decisions.Changed engagement with relevant support services.Changed impact of an immediate crisis.

What is a cycle in cancer treatment?

A cycle means that you have a single cancer drug or a combination of drugs and then have a rest to allow your body to recover. You might have some chemotherapy injections over a day or two and then have some time with no treatment. The treatment and rest time make up one treatment cycle.

How long is a chemotherapy cycle?

Treatment cycles and courses of treatment. Cancer drugs such as chemotherapy are usually given in cycles over several months. A series of cycles is called a course of treatment.

What is the research evidence for substance use disorder?

This chapter examines research evidence on the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment settings, duration, and amount, drawing heavily on research syntheses. Most of the research focuses on treatment for alcohol use disorders, but research on treatment of drug use disorders, other than nicotine dependence, also is considered. We argue that, to some extent, research findings (e.g., those on the relative effects of inpatient/residential vs. outpatient treatment) have been extrapolated to populations beyond those involved in the studies (e.g., those with disorders complicated by serious psychiatric conditions, homelessness) and that key issues remain unaddressed. These issues include determining the specific types of persons who benefit more from initial treatment in inpatient/residential than in outpatient settings, whether certain types of individuals benefit from longer or more intensive treatment, and whether treatment should be spread out over longer periods for some patients.

Is SUD treatment inpatient or outpatient?

Although inpatient treatment is more prevalent in some other countries (e.g., Germany), only about 10% of SUD patients in the United States receive residential treatment, and only 1% receive inpatient treatment where presumably medical or psychiatric care also is readily available ( 1 ). Considerable research has focused on whether inpatient/re sidential or outpatient treatment is more effective overall, but the more pressing issue is whether certain types of patients benefit more from an initial phase of inpatient/residential treatment before continuing outpatient care than from outpatient treatment alone.

Personal

The first category has to do with your body. Everybody's body is different. This even holds true for identical twins. Differences will develop over time, and those differences may make certain treatments impossible. Let's look at two examples.

Religious

There are different religions that exist in our world. Almost all of them come with various religious practices, rules, and guidelines. Some religions have guidelines that prevent certain types of treatments regardless of what is happening with a person's body.

Social and Cultural

Social and cultural beliefs and differences can also be factors that affect treatment. Most people have sets of values and practices that they live by. These aren't religious beliefs, but are more so beliefs based on race, culture, family, and societal pressures.

What are the side effects of chemotherapy?

Here are some of the more common side effects caused by chemotherapy: Fatigue. Hair loss. Easy bruising and bleeding.

How long do side effects of chemo last?

These are called late effects. Sometimes the side effects can last a lifetime, such as when chemo causes long-term damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, or reproductive organs.

Can chemo cause long term side effects?

Some chemo drugs cause long-term side effects, like heart or nerve damage or fertility problems. Still, many people have no long-term problems from chemo. Ask your doctor if the chemo drugs you’re getting have long-term effects. While side effects can be unpleasant, they must be weighed against the need to kill the cancer cells.

Can chemo kill your body?

Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system. Sometimes, you can take medicines with the chemo to help protect your body’s normal cells. There are also treatments to help relieve side effects. Doctors try to give chemo at levels high enough to treat cancer, while keeping side effects at a minimum.

Is chemo bad for you?

Side effects are not always as bad as you might expect, but it's normal to worry about this part of cancer treatment. The normal cells most likely to be damaged by chemo are: Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system.

Does aspirin affect platelets?

Taking aspirin or other related drugs can also weaken blood platelets. This isn’t a problem for healthy people with normal platelet counts, but if a person has low platelet counts from chemo, this combination might put them at risk of a serious bleeding problem.

Can cancer cause physical changes?

Because your cancer care team will give you lots of information about side effects, you might be more aware of physical changes. Do not take any physical symptoms you have lightly. Some side effects are short-lived and minor, but others may be a sign of serious problems.