Health Through Activity: Initial Evaluation of an In-Home Intervention for Older Adults With Cancer

Kathleen Doyle Lyons; Martha L Bruce; Jay G Hull; Peter A Kaufman; Zhongze Li; Diane M Stearns; Frederick Lansigan; Mary Chamberlin; Alexander Fuld; Stephen J Bartels; Jessica Whipple; Marie A Bakitas; Mark T Hegel

doi:10.5014/ajot.2019.035022

Health Through Activity: Initial Evaluation of an In-Home Intervention for Older Adults With Cancer

Am J Occup Ther. 2019 Sep/Oct;73(5):7305205070p1-7305205070p11. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2019.035022.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Kathleen Doyle Lyons, ScD, OTR/L, is Scientist, Department of Psychiatry and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; Kathleen.D.Lyons@dartmouth.edu.
² Martha L. Bruce, PhD, MPH, is Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, and The Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
³ Jay G. Hull, PhD, is Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
⁴ Peter A. Kaufman, MD, is Professor, Department of Medicine, Breast Oncology, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Vermont Cancer Center, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington. At the time of the study, he was Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Associate Professor, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
⁵ Zhongze Li, MS, is Data Analyst, Biomedical Data Science Department, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
⁶ Diane M. Stearns, APRN, MSN, is Lead Nurse Practitioner, Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
⁷ Frederick Lansigan, MD, is Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
⁸ Mary Chamberlin, MD, is Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
⁹ Alexander Fuld, MD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
¹⁰ Stephen J. Bartels, MD, MS, is Director, The Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. At the time of the study, he was Professor of Psychiatry, Professor of Community and Family Medicine, and Professor of The Dartmouth Institute, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
¹¹ Jessica Whipple, MS, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist, Sunapee School District, Sunapee, NH. At the time of the study, she was Project Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
¹² Marie A. Bakitas, DNSc, is Professor, School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
¹³ Mark T. Hegel, PhD, is Professor Emeritus-Active, Department of Psychiatry and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.

PMID: 31484031
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2019.035022

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting a future full-scale trial to test the efficacy of an in-home occupational therapy intervention designed to reduce disability in older adult cancer survivors.

Method: Participants reporting activity limitations during or after cancer treatment were enrolled in a Phase 1 pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the 6-wk intervention (n = 30) to usual care (n = 29). Descriptive data on retention rates were collected to assess feasibility of intervention and study procedures. Potential efficacy was explored through participants' self-reported disability, quality of life, activity level, and behavioral activation at 0, 8, and 16 wk after enrollment.

Results: Retention rates were high regarding completion of the intervention (90%) and outcome assessments (90% of usual-care participants and 80% of intervention participants). Outcomes consistently favored the intervention group, although group differences were small.

Conclusion: The procedures were feasible to implement and acceptable to participants.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Aged
Cancer Survivors / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Occupational Therapy* / methods
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
Quality of Life*