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An individual-based versus group-based exercise and counselling intervention for improving quality of life in breast cancer survivors. A feasibility and efficacy study

  1. Fiona Naumann1,*,
  2. Aime Munro2,
  3. Eric Martin2,
  4. Paula Magrani2,
  5. Jena Buchan2,
  6. Cathie Smith3,
  7. Ben Piggott2,
  8. Martin Philpott3

Article first published online: 1 JUL 2011

DOI: 10.1002/pon.2015

Issue

Psycho‐Oncology

Psycho-Oncology

Volume 21, Issue 10, pages 1136–1139, October 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Naumann, F., Munro, A., Martin, E., Magrani, P., Buchan, J., Smith, C., Piggott, B. and Philpott, M. (2012), An individual-based versus group-based exercise and counselling intervention for improving quality of life in breast cancer survivors. A feasibility and efficacy study. Psycho-Oncology, 21: 1136–1139. doi: 10.1002/pon.2015

Author Information

  1. 1

    School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia

  2. 2

    School of Health Science, University of Notre Dame Australia–Fremantle Campus, Australia

  3. 3

    School of Arts and Science, Counselling, University of Notre Dame Australia–Fremantle Campus, Australia

*University of New South Wales, Level 1, South Wing, Edmund Blacket Building. Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia, 2031. E-mail: f.naumann@unsw.edu.au

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 OCT 2012
  2. Article first published online: 1 JUL 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 16 MAY 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 5 MAY 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 24 JAN 2011

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Keywords:

  • cancer;
  • oncology;
  • exercise;
  • counselling;
  • quality of life

Abstract

Background

Cancer and its treatments produce lingering side-effects that undermine the quality of life (QOL) of survivors. Exercise and psycho-therapies increase QOL among survivors, however, research is needed to identify intervention characteristics most associated with such improvements.

Objective

This research aimed to assess the feasibility of a 9 week individual or group based exercise and counselling program, and to examine if a group based intervention is as effective at improving the QOL of breast cancer survivors as an individual-based intervention.

Methods

A three group design was implemented to compare the efficacy of a 9 week individual (IEC n = 12) and group based exercise and counselling (GEC n = 14) intervention to a usual care (UsC n = 10) group on QOL of thirty-six breast cancer survivors.

Results

Across all groups, 90% of participants completed the interventions, with no adverse effects documented. At the completion of the intervention, there was a significant difference between groups for change in global QOL across time (p < 0.023), with IEC improving significantly more (15.0 points) than the UsC group (1.8 points). The effect size was moderate (0.70). Although the GEC improved QOL by almost 10.0 points, this increase did not reach significance. Both increases were above the minimally important difference of 7–8 points.

Conclusion

These preliminary results suggest a combined exercise and psychological counseling program is both a feasible and acceptable intervention for breast cancer survivors. Whilst both the individual and group interventions improved QOL above the clinically important difference, only the individual based intervention was significant when compared to UsC.Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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