Symptom experience and management among people with acute myeloid leukaemia in Thailand

In Thailand, haematological malignancy is one of the most common types of cancer. This cross-sectional study, conducted in Southern Thailand, aimed to describe the symptom experiences of and symptom management strategies among patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Sixty hospitalized patients with AML were recruited. The Symptom Experience Scale and two open-ended questions regarding symptom-management strategies were used to collect data via face-to-face interviews 2 weeks after the induction phase of the AML protocol. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. High fever, weakness, nausea, and anorexia were the four most prevalent symptoms reported. Other prevalent symptoms included weight loss, bleeding, nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, and a cluster of psycho-emotional symptoms: worrying, fear, feeling discouraged, and feeling bored. Patients used various approaches and strategies to alleviate their symptoms, which could be categorized into five groups: preventive, direct, distraction, complementary, and restorative approaches. This study has provided important information for the development of symptom-management nursing programmes for patients with AML, particularly in Thailand.