Yvonne Wengström

A randomized pilot study with daily walking during adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with breast and colorectal cancer

Abstract Background. Physical activity during chemotherapy has been shown in several studies to reduce fatigue, improve symptoms and impact positively on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Challenges associated with intervention studies on physical activity during cancer treatment relate to consistent adherence. The primary objective was to study feasibility and adherence of physical activity intervention among patients with cancer during adjuvant chemotherapy treatment. The secondary objective was to investigate the effects of physical activity on health aspects, including HRQoL, symptoms and surrogate markers for cardiovascular disease. Material and methods. This randomized controlled trial included patients with breast cancer (BRCA) and colorectal cancer (CRC) during adjuvant chemotherapy. The intervention continued for 10 weeks and included daily walks of 10 000 steps and a weekly supervised group walk. Adherence was assessed by a pedometer and the number of participants who reported step counts every week and percentage of participants who achieved the target steps every week. Results. Adherence average reached 91% during the intervention period; in total 74% completed the exercise intervention. The majority of the participants achieved an average of 83% of the target of 10 000 steps per day for 10 weeks. There was a significant increase in daily physical activity (p = 0.016) in the intervention group. Significant differences were also found for some breast cancer-specific symptoms [swelling, mobility and pain (p = 0.045)]. The study showed a relatively small weight gain an average of 0.9 kg in the intervention group and 1.3 kg in the control group. Conclusion. Physical activity in the form of walking is feasible during adjuvant chemotherapy treatment despite increasing symptoms. The physical activity increased in the intervention group during the study time and had a positive impact on breast symptoms and the weight gain was lower in comparison to previous studies.

Coping processes in a multidisciplinary healthcare team – a comparison of nurses in cancer care and hospital chaplains

The purpose of this paper is to compare the coping processes of hospital chaplains and nurses in cancer care and to discuss the findings in relation to work and stress in a multidisciplinary team. The results of the research question –‘what coping processes are used when confronting existential issues?’– reveal that, as members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, both professions need space in work for significance; the nurse needs to be able to help the patient ‘do good’ and the hospital chaplain needs to be available to meet the patient. Boundary demarcation was found to be the most common coping strategy.

Feasibility of an interactive ICT-platform for early assessment and management of patient-reported symptoms during radiotherapy for prostate cancer

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of an Information and Communication Technology platform for assessing and managing patient reported symptoms during radiotherapy for prostate cancer. METHODS In cooperation with a health management company, using a patient experience co-design, we developed the platform operated by an interactive application for reporting and managing symptoms in real time. Nine patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and receiving radiotherapy were recruited from two university hospitals in Sweden. Evidence-based symptoms and related self-care advice specific to prostate cancer were implemented in the application based on a literature review and interviews with patients and health care professionals. In the test of the platform the patients reported symptoms, via a mobile phone, daily for two weeks and were afterwards interviewed about their experiences. RESULTS Overall, the patients found the symptom questionnaire and the self-care advice relevant and the application user friendly. The alert system was activated on several occasions when the symptoms were severe leading to a nurse contact and support so the patients felt safe and well cared for. CONCLUSIONS The platform enabled increased patient involvement and facilitated symptom assessment and communication between the patient and the health care provider. The studys results support further development of the platform, as well as tests in full-scale studies and in other populations.

Delivering and participating in a psycho-educational intervention for family caregivers during palliative home care: a qualitative study from the perspectives of health professionals and family caregivers

BackgroundFamily caregivers in palliative care have a need for knowledge and support from health professionals, resulting in the need for educational and supportive interventions. However, research has mainly focused on the experiences of family caregivers taking part in interventions. To gain an increased understanding of complex interventions, it is necessary to integrate the perspectives of health professionals and family caregivers. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of health professionals and family caregivers of delivering and participating in a psycho-educational intervention in palliative home care.MethodsA psycho-educational intervention was designed for family caregivers based on a theoretical framework describing family caregiver’s need for knowing, being and doing. The intervention was delivered over three sessions, each of which included a presentation by healthcare professionals from an intervention manual. An interpretive descriptive design was chosen and data were collected through focus group discussions with health professionals and individual interviews with family caregivers. Data were analysed using framework analysis.ResultsFrom the perspectives of both health professionals and family caregivers, the delivering and participating in the intervention was a positive experience. Although the content was not always adjusted to the family caregivers’ individual situation, it was perceived as valuable. Consistently, the intervention was regarded as something that could make family caregivers better prepared for caregiving. Health professionals found that the work with the intervention demanded time and engagement from them and that the manual needed to be adjusted to suit group characteristics, but the experience of delivering the intervention was still something that gave them satisfaction and contributed to them finding insights into their work.ConclusionsThe theoretical framework used in this study seems appropriate to use for the design of interventions to support family caregivers. In the perspectives of health professionals and family caregivers, the psycho-educational intervention had important benefits and there was congruence between the two groups in that it provided reward and support. In order for health professionals to carry out psycho-educational interventions, they may be in need of support and supervision as well as securing appropriate time and resources in their everyday work.

Short-term and long-term effects of a psycho-educational group intervention for family caregivers in palliative home care - results from a randomized control trial

Family caregivers in cancer and palliative care often face heavy responsibilities and feel insufficiently prepared for the situation as caregivers. This study evaluates short‐term and long‐term effects of a psycho‐educational group intervention aiming to increase preparedness for family caregiving in specialized palliative home care.

Experiencing health - Physical activity during adjuvant chemotherapy treatment for women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to explore how women with breast cancer experience physical activity (PA) during adjuvant chemotherapy treatment. METHODS This study included sixteen women diagnosed with breast cancer who had participated in a supervised 16-week PA intervention during adjuvant chemotherapy treatment. The qualitative approach included semi-structured individual and focus group interviews. Data were analyzed inductively with content analysis. RESULT The content analysis resulted in a description of experiencing health during chemotherapy treatment covered by five categories: Solidarity with others and being good to oneself; Experiencing functional improvement and social support; Empowerment and motivation to focus on health; Barriers to adherence to PA during illness and treatment; and Enabling health and independence. A core category was identified; PA a tool for maintenance and recovery of physical, mental and social health. The women reported that PA had a positive impact on both physical function and mental wellbeing. Participating in the PA intervention also increased their feeling of social support, which was reported to be important to motivate adherence to PA when the side effects became more severe. Symptom burden, time and lack of motivation were reported as barriers to continue PA during treatment. CONCLUSION The women in this study reported that PA had a positive impact on their perceived health and that it was possible to exercise despite increasing symptom burden from treatment. PA was perceived as a tool that supported health processes and gave the women a feeling of getting respite from the illness.

Optitrain: a randomised controlled exercise trial for women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

BackgroundWomen with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy suffer from a range of detrimental disease and treatment related side-effects. Exercise has shown to be able to counter some of these side-effects and improve physical function as well as quality of life. The primary aim of the study is to investigate and compare the effects of two different exercise regimens on the primary outcome cancer-related fatigue and the secondary outcomes muscle strength, function and structure, cardiovascular fitness, systemic inflammation, skeletal muscle gene activity, health related quality of life, pain, disease and treatment-related symptoms in women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. The second aim is to examine if any effects are sustained 1, 2, and 5 years following the completion of the intervention and to monitor return to work, recurrence and survival. The third aim of the study is to examine the effect of attendance and adherence rates on the effects of the exercise programme.MethodsThis study is a randomised controlled trial including 240 women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy in Stockholm, Sweden. The participants are randomly allocated to either: group 1: Aerobic training, group 2: Combined resistance and aerobic training, or group 3: usual care (control group). During the 5-year follow-up period, participants in the exercise groups will receive a physical activity prescription. Measurements for endpoints will take place at baseline, after 16 weeks (end of intervention) as well as after 1, 2 and 5 years.DiscussionThis randomised controlled trial will generate substantial information regarding the effects of different types of exercise on the health of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. We expect that dissemination of the knowledge gained from this study will contribute to developing effective long term strategies to improve the physical and psychosocial health of breast cancer survivors.Trial registrationOptiTrain - Optimal Training Women with Breast Cancer (OptiTrain), NCT02522260; Registration: June 9, 2015, Last updated version Feb 29, 2016. Retrospectively registered.

Patients Experience High Levels of Anxiety 2 Years Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE To explore anxiety levels during the first 2 years after rupture of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS A consecutive sample of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) (n = 88, 84.6% of eligible) from a Swedish neurosurgical clinic were followed-up with a prospective cohort design at 3 time points; 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after the onset. Data were collected by postal questionnaires and telephone interviews: State trait anxiety inventory, Hospital anxiety and depression scales, Barthel index, Telephone interview for cognitive status, and a set of study-specific questions. RESULTS Most of the respondents scored above the State trait anxiety inventory Swedish norm value on anxiety levels at all 3 follow-up time points. About 59% (n = 52) of respondents scored above the cutoff value for clinical significant level of anxiety in at least 1 time point during the first 2 years after rupture of aSAH. There were no significant differences in levels of anxiety versus the observational period and the 3 follow-up time points. The most significant explanatory variable to high levels of anxiety at all 3 follow-up time points was low perceived recovery. CONCLUSIONS Levels of anxiety remained high and stable throughout the first 2 years after rupture of aSAH. High levels of anxiety may reduce health-related quality of life substantially. Identification of individuals with high levels of anxiety and supportive care could therefore potentially improve long-term outcome.

Are women with breast cancer receiving sufficient education and information about their treatment

Are women with breast cancer receiving sufficient education and information about their treatment?

Educational Preparation of Nurses Caring for Older People with Cancer: An International Perspective.

OBJECTIVES To review the education available in Europe and the US for nurses caring for older people with cancer. DATA SOURCES Nursing literature, published guidelines, and professional nursing organizations Websites. CONCLUSION The educational needs of nurses caring for older cancer patients have not been well defined to date, resulting in a mixed international picture of preparation. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING PRACTICE As the number of older people with cancer grows, the resulting complexities of patient and family care needs have significant implications for the role of nursing.