Holistic conditions after colon cancer: A randomized controlled trial of systematic holistic care vs primary care

Study showed that systemic holistic care not only aids in disease treatment and physical recovery to a certain extent but also effectively enhances patient psychological well-being, social support, and overall quality of life (QoL).

To assess systematic holistic care impact on the recovery and well-being of postoperative patients with colon cancer.

Our randomized controlled trial included 98 postoperative patients with colon cancer admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to June 2022. Patients were divided into control and study groups. The control group received conventional postoperative nursing care, whereas the study group received systematic holistic nursing care. We monitored gastrointestinal function recovery, and recorded changes in serum albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA), psychological state, self-management, self-efficacy, QoL, and the occurrence of complications in patients before, at discharge, and 2 wk post-discharge. Spearman analysis assessed correlations between psychological state, self-management, self-efficacy, and QoL of patients in the study group 2 wk post-discharge.

Following the nursing intervention, we observed significantly shorter postoperative bowel sound recovery time, anal exhaust time, and defecation time in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Patient ALB and PA levels, psychological status, self-management ability, self-efficacy and QoL at discharge and 2 wk post-discharge significantly improved, with greater improvements observed in the study group (P < 0.05). Both groups experienced complications post-interventions, but the intervention group had significantly lower complication rate (3/49, 6.12%) (P < 0.05). In the study group, patient anxiety, depression, self-management and QoL scores at 2 wk post-discharge exhibited a significant negative correlation (3/49, 6.12%) with QoL scores, with correlation coefficients of r = -0.273, -0.522, -0.344, and P < 0.01, respectively. Conversely, patient self-efficacy scores 2 wk post-discharge showed a positive correlation with QoL scores (r = 0.410, P = 0.000).

Systemic holistic nursing significantly benefits postoperative patients with colon cancer by promoting gastrointestinal recovery, improving post-operation well-being, reducing complications, and enhancing QoL.