Self-care strategies to cope with taste changes after chemotherapy

Abstract

Purpose/objectives: To describe factors related to taste changes, to examine patients' use of a self-care suggestion sheet to manage taste changes associated with chemotherapy, and to identify potentially useful strategies for managing specific taste changes after chemotherapy.

Design: Quasi-experimental, pre/post design.

Setting: Four outpatient urban and suburban oncology centers in Illinois.

Sample: 42 patients who had received at least two cycles of chemotherapy previously identified to be associated with taste changes.

Methods: Pre- and postintervention survey of taste changes; patient education regarding self-care for taste changes.

Main research variables: Taste changes, taste change strategies, and self-care.

Findings: Most patients that reported taste changes had affected their ability to eat. Taste changes and strategies varied somewhat according to chemotherapy regimen. Avoiding strong-smelling or -tasting foods, eating blander foods, drinking more water with foods, oral care before eating, and eating smaller, more frequent meals were reported to help.

Conclusions: Taste changes are common in patients receiving cisplatin, carboplatin, or cyclophosphamide. At-risk patients may benefit from prechemotherapy teaching regarding specific taste change management suggestions. Use of a taste change suggestion sheet encouraged self-care, and counseling patients regarding strategies to deal with taste changes may help them during chemotherapy.

Implications for nursing: Nurses should incorporate patient education tools that promote self-care regarding the management of taste changes in patients with known factors that could affect taste early in their chemotherapy.

Figures

Figure 1. Suggestions to Reduce or Improve Taste Changes

Note. Based on information from Wickham et al., 1999.