DEVELOPMENT, FEASIBILITY, AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AND INTIMATE PARTNERS.

Abstract

Background

Weight gain is common for breast cancer survivors and associated with disease progression, recurrence, and mortality. Traditional behavioral programs fail to address symptoms (i.e., pain, fatigue, distress) experienced by breast cancer survivors that may interfere with weight loss and fail to capitalize on the concordance in weight-related health behaviors of couples. This study aimed to develop and examine the feasibility and acceptability of a behavioral weight and symptom management intervention for breast cancer survivors and their intimate partners.

Materials and methods

Interviews were conducted with N=14 couples with overweight/obesity to develop the intervention. Intervention feasibility and acceptability were examined through a single-arm pilot trial (N=12 couples). Patterns of change in intervention targets were examined for survivors and partners.

Results

Themes derived from interviews were used to develop the 12-session couple-based intervention, which included components from traditional behavioral weight management interventions, appetite awareness training, and cognitive and behavioral symptom management protocols. Couples also worked together to set goals, create plans for health behavior change, and adjust systemic and relationship barriers to weight loss. Examples were tailored to the experiences and symptom management needs of breast cancer survivors and partners. The intervention demonstrated feasibility (attrition: 8%; session completion: 88%) and acceptability (satisfaction). Survivors and partners experienced reductions in weight and improvements in physical activity, eating behaviors, emotional distress, and self-efficacy. Survivors evidenced improvements in fatigue and pain.

Conclusions

A behavioral weight and symptom management intervention for breast cancer survivors and partners is feasible, acceptable, and is potentially efficacious.

Department

Description

Provenance

Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.48252/jcr57

Publication Info

Dorfman, Caroline S, Tamara J Somers, Rebecca A Shelby, Joseph G Winger, Michele L Patel, Gretchen Kimmick, Linda Craighead, Francis J Keefe, et al. (2022). DEVELOPMENT, FEASIBILITY, AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AND INTIMATE PARTNERS. Journal of cancer rehabilitation, 5. pp. 7–16. 10.48252/jcr57 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/27275.

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Scholars@Duke

Dorfman

Caroline Susan Dorfman

Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Caroline Dorfman, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University. Dr. Dorfman is a member of the Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program and the Cancer Symptom Management and Support Program within the Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is also a member of the Duke Cancer Institute where she serves as the Director of Research and Behavioral Medicine for the Duke Teen and Young Adult Oncology Program. Dr. Dorfman completed her graduate training in clinical psychology at the Ohio State University and her clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center. Her research focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating psychosocial and behavioral interventions designed to meet the needs of cancer survivors and their partners/families. She is particularly interested in conducting research to address the unique needs of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. 


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