Assessment of the level of knowledge and attitudes of cancer patients in the field of vascular access such as intravenous port

Aim
The aim of the study was to analyze the level of knowledge of cancer patients in the field of vascular access of the intravenous port type.

Material and methods
The research material consisted of patients with diagnosed neoplastic disease, treated at the Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy in Gdańsk, who received chemotherapy. The research used the method of a diagnostic survey, the research tool was a questionnaire of own authorship. The research was approved by the Independent Bioethical Committee for Scientific Research at the Medical University of Gdańsk, registration number NKBBN / 86/2022. All statistical calculations were performed with the use of the IBM SPSS 23 statistical package and the Excel 2016 spreadsheet. In all calculations, p ≤ 0.05 was assumed as the level of significance.

Results
The study involved 55 patients with cancer and an implanted intravenous port, receiving chemotherapy. The mean age of the respondents was 54 years, SD 13.04. The results in the knowledge test ranged from 0 to 12 points. The lowest result obtained by the respondents was Min = 2 and the highest was Max = 10. The mean result is M = 6.00 with the standard deviation SD = 2.31.

Conclusions
Higher education and the age of the respondents did not affect the level of knowledge in the field of intravenous port care. Women had a higher level of knowledge in the field of intravenous port care. The subjects with vascular access felt high satisfaction with having a port and positively assessed its functioning.