Abstract: Objective: To construct a decision-making assistance program for Fertility Preservation (FP) in patients with lymphoma of childbearing age and to explore the effects of this program, aiming to provide references for clinical practice. Methods: Through evidence summary and expert meeting, the decision-making assistance program for FP in lymphoma patients was developed under the Ottawa Decision Support Framework. Using the convenience sampling method, a total of 30 patients who received treatment in a tertiary grade A tumor specialized hospital in Zhejiang province from July to September 2023 were selected as the control group and received routine nursing care. Another 30 patients who received treatment from October to December 2023 were selected as the intervention group and were applied with the FP decision-making assistance program for male or female versions. The adoption rate of FP, decision-making dilemma, post-cancer fertility concerns and fertility preservation-related knowledge were compared between the two groups. Results: At discharge after the first treatment, the adoption rate of FP in intervention group and control group were 10.0% and 3.3%, respectively, but without statistically significant difference between the groups (χ2=1.071, P=0.301). At six months after the first treatment, the proportion of patients with effective decision-making in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). At discharge after the first treatment and at 6 months after the first treatment, the scores of post-cancer fertility concerns in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group, and the scores of fertility preservation-related knowledge were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.001). Conclusion: The decision-making assistance program for patients with lymphoma of childbearing age constructed in this study reduces the decision-making dilemma and post-cancer fertility concerns of patients, and improves their understanding of fertility preservation-related knowledge.

Key words: Fertility Preservation; childbearing age; lymphoma; decision-making assistance program; nursing