Date Presented 03/22/24
Cancer survivors (n = 7) completed a 12-week occupation-based health self-management program. Postintervention, participants showed clinically significant improvements in occupational performance per the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure.
Primary Author and Speaker: Alix G. Sleight
Additional Authors and Speakers: Alexandra E. Feldman
Contributing Authors: Pamela S. Roberts, Kathleen Lyons, LJ Amaral
PURPOSE: Health behaviors (e.g. diet, physical activity) play a crucial role in lessening morbidity and mortality after cancer. However, fewer than 25% of cancer survivors follow all key health behavior recommendations [1]. Occupational therapy-based self-management programs can help individuals with chronic conditions learn personalized skills for integrating health behavior recommendations into daily routines [2]. However, to date, no study has tested the impact of occupation-based self-management training on health behaviors in cancer survivors.
DESIGN: This prospective, non-randomized pilot study tested the efficacy of a 12-session health self-management program in a convenience sample of 25 cancer survivors from an urban cancer center. Preliminary results from the first 7 participants are reported.
METHOD: Eligibility required a history of non-metastatic cancer and desire for support in at least one health behavior area. Patients (n=7) completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) at baseline and post-intervention to measure change in occupational performance (COPM-P) and satisfaction (COPM-S) related to their self-identified health behavior problem areas. The intervention involved working one-on-one with an occupational therapist to set goals and develop strategies for habit change. A difference of 2 points in either COPM area was considered clinically significant [3].
RESULTS: All participants demonstrated a clinically significant change in both COPM-P and COPM-S scores at the end of the 12-week intervention. Range for COPM-P score change was 2.0-5.5 points; range for COPM-S score change was 2.67-6.33 points. Median score changes were 3.5 points (COPM-P) and 4 points (COPM-S).
CONCLUSION: Cancer survivors may experience improvements in health behavior performance after an occupation-based health self-management program. Occupational therapy could play a central role in increasing adherence to health behavior recommendations after cancer.
References
Tollosa, D. N., Tavener, M., Hure, A., & James, E. L. (2019). Adherence to multiple health behaviours in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 13(3), 327–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-00754-0
Pyatak, E.A., Carandang, K., Vigen, C.L., Blanchard, J., Diaz, J., Concha-Chavez, A., Sequeira, P.A., Wood, J.R., Whittemore, R., Spruijt-Metz, D. and Peters, A.L., (2018). Occupational therapy intervention improves glycemic control and quality of life among young adults with diabetes: The Resilient, Empowered, Active Living with Diabetes (REAL Diabetes) randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care, 41(4), pp. 696–704. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc17-1634
Law M., Polatajko H., Pollock N., McColl M. A., Carswell A., Baptiste S. (1994b). Pilot testing of the Canadian occupational performance measure: Clinical and measurement issues. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(4), 191–197. https://doi.org/10.1177/000841749406100403
