Cancer-related fatigue

2019 ◽  
pp. 519-524
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Cancer Treatments ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue ◽  
Fatigue Management ◽  
Severe Fatigue ◽  
Underlying Processes ◽  
Activity Energy

Fatigue is one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by people with cancer, occurring in up to 80% of people having treatment. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is characterized by a subjective feeling of tiredness, weakness, or lack of energy. It is different from the usual tiredness experienced after exertion, as it is not relieved by rest. It tends to be pervasive and affects both mental processes, like concentration and attention, and physical processes, restricting activities and potentially leading to social isolation. It is associated with all forms of cancer treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapies. In spite of this, the underlying processes and pathophysiology of CRF are not fully understood. Assessment of fatigue can be based on simple questions about its presence and the severity and effects on function, rating on a scale of 0 to 10, or it can be rated by the patient as mild, moderate, or severe. Those reporting moderate to severe fatigue should receive a more detailed fatigue assessment. Many of the fatigue management strategies are psychosocial or behavioural, so education and counselling are central to the effective management of fatigue. Psychosocial interventions include education, exercise and activity, energy conservation, sleep hygiene, attention-restoring interventions, and psychological treatments. The most commonly used pharmacological approaches include: psychostimulants, antidepressants, corticosteroids, treatments for anaemia, and progestogens.

Fatigue

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Scruggs
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue ◽  
Fatigue Management ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Management Behaviors ◽  
Informed Patient

When fatigue is not addressed, there is a high probability that it will negatively affect the patient’s participation in healthy behaviors. It is well known that a patient’s active participation can improve recovery from any injury or illness. The first step is the assessment of a patient’s fatigue, with a follow up focus on fatigue management strategies. The clinical guidelines for cancer-related fatigue recommend fatigue assessment as the sixth vital sign. This recommendation is a good guideline for all provider/patient interactions and provides an overall picture of the patient’s health. While fatigue is often an expected symptom of chronic illness or cancer therapy, few patients are given a proactive approach to fatigue management. When fatigue is left untreated, the patient is set up for failure in all self-management behaviors. Fatigue is a manageable condition but requires the active and well-informed patient and a supportive, well-informed health care team.

Cancer-related fatigue: an overview

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. S36-S43
Author(s):  
Mohammed Al Maqbali
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue ◽  
Diagnosis Of Cancer ◽  
Life Stressor

A diagnosis of cancer is a major life stressor that can affect the physiological, psychological and physical state of the person concerned. Fatigue is a particularly common and troubling symptom that has a negative impact on quality of life throughout all phases of treatment and stages of the illness. The aim of this review is to provide background information on cancer-related fatigue. This review discusses cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in terms of the definition, prevalence, risk factors, aetiology, and the measurement scales used. The differences between definitions of symptoms and relevant theories will be explored and discussed to help explain the variety of instruments used in its measurement. The prevalence of fatigue will be assessed by looking critically at the evidence of fatigue and the factors that affect it. Potential treatment and management strategies for CRF will also be discussed. Finally, there will be an overview of the instruments used to measure fatigue. This review also provides important evidence for measuring and managing CRF that can help nurses to understand fatigue among patients with cancer. Assessing CRF should be routinely undertaken in clinical settings to help identify the proper interventions, treatments and management to reduce fatigue among cancer patients.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of self-management interventions in inflammatory arthritis: a systematic review informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for the implementation of self-management strategies in patients with inflammatory arthritis

RMD Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e001647
Author(s):  
Andréa Marques ◽  
Eduardo Santos ◽  
Elena Nikiphorou ◽  
Ailsa Bosworth ◽  
Loreto Carmona
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Inflammatory Arthritis ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Management Interventions

ObjectiveTo perform a systematic review (SR) on the effectiveness of self-management interventions, in order to inform the European League Against Rheumatism Recommendations for its implementation in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).MethodsThe SR was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook and included adults (≥18 years) with IA. The search strategy was run in Medline through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, and PEDro. The assessment of risk of bias, data extraction and synthesis were performed by two reviewers independently. A narrative Summary of Findings was provided according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation.ResultsFrom a total 1577 references, 57 were selected for a full-text review, and 32 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (19 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 13 SRs). The most studied self-management components were specific interactive disease education in ten RCTs, problem solving in nine RCTs, cognitive–behavioural therapy in eight RCTs, goal setting in six RCTs, patient education in five RCTs and response training in two RCTs. The most studied interventions were multicomponent or single exercise/physical activity in six SRs, psychosocial interventions in five SRs and education in two SRs. Overall, all these specific components and interventions of self-management have beneficial effects on IAs-related outcomes.ConclusionsThe findings confirm the beneficial effect of the self-management interventions in IA and the importance of their implementation. Further research should focus on the understanding that self-management is a complex intervention to allow the isolation of the effectiveness of its different components.

Fatigue-management strategies among women with endometriosis in South Africa: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 008124632110201
Author(s):  
Zamafiso Nombulelo Sibande ◽  
Rizwana Roomaney
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Public Hospital ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Secondary Symptom ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Fatigue Management ◽  
Insight Into

Fatigue is a common, secondary symptom of endometriosis that has not been qualitatively explored. We conducted individual, face-to-face interviews with 25 women in South Africa about their experiences of endometriosis-related fatigue. Participants were recruited at a public hospital in Cape Town and through several South African endometriosis organizations. Interviews were conducted in English and Afrikaans and ranged from 30 min to 1 hr 16 min in duration. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. We found that both the experience of fatigue and fatigue-management strategies were highly personalized. Participants reported using a variety of cognitive strategies, such as planning, pacing, and pushing through their fatigue to reduce the levels of fatigue. Participants also employed physical strategies such as rest, dietary changes, using supplements, and exercise. We found that while participants often tried fatigue-management strategies suggested to them by others, they struggled to maintain these strategies even when they were successful. There are currently no interventions aimed at reducing endometriosis-related fatigue. The findings of this study provide insight into the management of fatigue in women with endometriosis and may be used to develop a psychosocial intervention for fatigue among women with the disease.

scholarly journals Bringing Psychosocial Support to Headache Sufferers Using Information and Communication Technology: Lessons Learned from Asking Potential Users What they Want

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. e1-e8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Huguet ◽  
Jennifer Stinson ◽  
Bonnie MacKay ◽  
Carolyn Watters ◽  
Michelle Tougas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Design ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Pain Diary

BACKGROUND: Headaches are a major concern for which psychosocial interventions are recommended. However, headache sufferers do not always have ready access to these interventions. Technology has been used to improve access, especially in young people.OBJECTIVES: To examine user preferences to inform the development of an Internet-based psychosocial intervention including smartphone technology, referred to as the Wireless Headache Intervention.METHODS: The methodology followed a participatory design cycle, including 25 headache sufferers (14 to 28 years of age) who informed the prototype design. All participants were familiar with smartphones and the Internet. Through two iterative cycles of focus groups stratified according to age, qualitative data were collected by asking user preferences for the different planned components of the intervention (ie, smartphone pain diary, Internet-based self-management treatment, social support) and other relevant aspects (ie, smartphone versus computer delivery, and ways of reaching target audience). NVivo 8 with content analysis was used to analyze data and reflect themes as guided by the thematic survey.RESULTS: Participants reported a preference for completing the smart-phone pain diary on a daily basis. Participants believed that the program should facilitate easy access to information regarding headaches and management strategies. They also wanted access to other headache sufferers and experts. Participants believed that the program should be customizable and interactive. They reinforced the need and value of an integrated smartphone and Internet-based application.CONCLUSIONS: The results provide insight into a participatory design to guide design decisions for the type of intervention for which success relies largely on self-motivation. The results also provide recommendations for design of similar interventions that may benefit from the integration of mobile applications to Internet-based interventions. The present research contributes to the theoretical frameworks that have been formulated for the development of Internet-based applications.

Effecting Superior Pain Management Strategies by Combining Technology With Tradition

2019 ◽  
pp. 631-641
Author(s):  
CK Foo
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
The Public ◽  
Physical Disorders ◽  
Control Pain ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Today we are witnessing a significant rise in chronic diseases and chronic pain. Modern medicine appears not to be sufficient to relieve symptoms and reduce or eliminate discomfort. The following proffers the need to look at alternate strategies. In particular, it suggests that a solution might lie if we combine modern technology with ancient wisdom and traditional approaches. This chapter serves to highlight strategies for prudent pain management. “Pain is not just from physical disorders but also from combinations of physiological, pathological, emotional, psychological, cognitive, environmental, and social factors. The keys to successful pain control are the mechanisms that initiate and maintain pain.” “Now, the public and health professionals expect to control pain by using preventive and active strategies, including drugs and physical and psychosocial interventions.” (Holdcroft & Power, 2003).

Fatigue

2015 ◽  
pp. 154-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith O’Neil-Page ◽  
Paula R. Anderson ◽  
Grace E. Dean
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Human Suffering ◽  
Complex Phenomenon ◽  
Illness Trajectory ◽  
Cancer Related Fatigue ◽  
Chronic Progressive Disease

This chapter provides an overview of fatigue as it spans the illness trajectory and end-of-life experience for patients with chronic progressive disease. While fatigue is a complex phenomenon that has been widely studied, there is still no universally accepted definition. Individuals with cancer and many other chronic, progressive diseases continue to experience fatigue and its costs, not only in the economic sense but also in its physical, emotional, and psychological impact on life. Cancer-related fatigue is a serious problem that interferes with physical, psychological, emotional, social, and economic functions. The need for healthcare providers to recognize and identify symptoms and explore management strategies is crucial to the lessening of human suffering.

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