Evaluating the effects of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) on patients' daily activities / Farah Faridah Jamaludin

Despite the improvements of the anti-emetic therapy that has become more effective, safer and fewer side effects, a significant number of patients still experience nausea and vomiting. There is still lack of proper control of nausea and vomiting that suits the level of emetogenic despite administering anti-emetic therapy. The objective of this study is to assess the frequency of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the hospitals. Besides, the aims are also to identify relationship of CINV with patient's variables and emetogenic level of chemotherapy regimen and to assess the usage of anti-emetic agents. The most important measure is to assess the impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) on patient's daily activities. A face to face interview and self administered diary will be distributed by the researcher through volunteers' verbal consent to participate in the study. The diary will be returned to the researcher on the next chemotherapy treatment or the patient can return back the diary via mail. Fifty patients from four different hospitals were involved in this study. Almost 28% of the patients reported having vomiting and almost half reported nausea (at least mild or severe) after chemotherapy. In total, almost 90% of the patients with occurrence of nausea/vomiting or both were reported IDA. 70% of the patients with absence of nausea /vomiting or both were experiencing NIDA. Based on the present findings, CINV remains poorly controlled and significantly interferes with the patient's daily activities. Availability of anti-emetic therapy has not yield the optimal care to the patient with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).