- Programme feasible and acceptable: recruitment 57.7%, retention 73.3%, participation 84.7%, high satisfaction score (4.85 ± 0.36).
- Increased physical activity and marital intimacy in both patients and spouses, with significant improvements and medium to large effect sizes.
- Patient quality of life improved and spouses' sleep disturbance decreased; programme may reduce symptom burden and be integrated into routine supportive oncology care.
Cancer Nurs. 2026 Aug 4. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001624. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) alleviates the symptoms of breast cancer survivors and improves their spouses’ wellness. Nevertheless, insufficient dyadic PA behavior among patient-spouse dyads constrains their PA levels.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a dyadic PA behavioral promotion program for breast cancer survivors during chemotherapy and their spouses.
METHODS: Fifteen patient-spouse dyads from a tertiary general hospital were enrolled in this single-arm pilot study and received an 8-session dyadic PA behavioral promotion intervention across 2 chemotherapy cycles. The feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the intervention were evaluated using t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and effect sizes were calculated to estimate intervention effects.
RESULTS: Rates of recruitment (57.69%), retention (73.33%), and participation (84.71%) indicated good feasibility, and the high overall satisfaction score (4.85 ± 0.36), together with participant feedback, demonstrated high acceptability. PA levels (both P < .05, d = 0.71, d = 0.67) and marital intimacy (P < .01, d = 1.22; P < .05, d = 0.94) were significantly improved in both patients and their spouses. In addition, patients’ quality of life was significantly improved (P < .05, d = 0.91), and spouses’ sleep disturbance was reduced (P < .05, d = 0.75).
CONCLUSIONS: The dyadic PA behavioral promotion program was feasible and acceptable and may help improve PA levels and reduce symptom burden.
IMPLICATIONS FOR ONCOLOGY NURSING PRACTICE: Dyadic PA promotion interventions can be integrated into routine supportive care to enhance physical and mental well-being and health-promoting behaviors among patients and their spouses.
PMID:42555866 | DOI:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001624
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