Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Health Promotion Program for Individuals with Cancer293 views
Author
Trissel, Laura, Nursing Practice - School of Nursing, University of Virginia0000-0002-0245-1900
Advisors
Degennaro, Regina, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
Kane, Catherine, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
Abstract
Purpose: With the increased focus on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and wellness for individuals with cancer, formal health promotion programs have become an integral part of the comprehensive services promoted in many cancer care centers.
Research Question: For individuals living with cancer, does participation in a structured health promotion program, that incorporates integrative health coaching (IHC) with nutrition and physical activity support, result in improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL)?
Setting/Sample: A community hospital-based cancer center in central Virginia. A convenience sample of eight patients was enrolled in the health promotion program, and six completed all elements within the study time frame. Participants varied along the treatment trajectory, with a range of primary malignancies, mostly solid tumors.
Design/Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to address the impact of an existing health promotion program on HRQOL. Participants were enrolled from September – December 2017, and completed the multidisciplinary components of the program over a period of 9-14 weeks.
Measures: Demographics, tumor and treatment-specific information, and anthropometric measures were collected at time of enrollment, with anthropometric measures again collected at program completion. The RAND SF-36 was used to assess HRQOL indices at baseline and at completion of the program.
Findings: Six participants completed the program, and demonstrated near-statistical significance in BMI reduction (–0.7 kg/m2, p = .062) and improvement in the domain of physical functioning (+10.9 points, p = .062). Post-intervention scores were improved over baseline in seven of the eight HRQOL domains.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that the program may have modest effect on improving HRQOL, especially within the domain of physical functioning. Several suggestions are made for program improvement.
Degree
DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
Keywords
health related quality of life; integrative health coaching; physical activity; nutrition; well being; patient reported outcome measures; cancer
Sponsors
American Cancer Society Graduate Scholarship in Cancer Nursing Practice, GCSNP-16-125-01-SCN
Trissel, Laura. Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Health Promotion Program for Individuals with Cancer. University of Virginia, Nursing Practice - School of Nursing, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice), 2018-04-26, https://doi.org/10.18130/V3222R56M.