Julia Menichetti1,2, Letizia De Luca1, Paola Dordoni1, Simona Donegani1, Cristina Marenghi1, Riccardo Valdagni1,3,4, Lara Bellardita1. 1. Prostate Cancer Program, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milano, Italy. 2. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milano, Italy. 4. Department of Oncology and Haemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Health promotion is a key aspect for health outcomes of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. However, it has been poorly explored among patients following monitoring programmes, for example Active Surveillance (AS). This study aimed to explore PCa patients' perceptions of health promotion during AS. METHODS: An explorative qualitative research design was adopted. Four focus groups were used to collected data from 24 men enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Research International: AS (PRIAS) protocol. A thematic analysis with an inductive approach was performed. RESULTS: Participants described promoting health during AS as challenged by mental, age-related, informational and organisational issues. It was reported as an effort to stay in the present with a positive outlook, despite the worries for the future ("the mental theme"). It was perceived as impacted by being older and having to manage physical and mental struggles related to age ("the life-course theme"). It depended, in their accounts, on obtaining reliable information and personalised education ("the educational theme"). Finally, it was related on taking responsibility on the care process ("the organisational theme"). CONCLUSION: This study suggested ways of promoting health during AS that can help healthcare professionals and organisations building a "health-promoting AS," able to improve overall health outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: Health promotion is a key aspect for health outcomes of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. However, it has been poorly explored among patients following monitoring programmes, for example Active Surveillance (AS). This study aimed to explore PCa patients' perceptions of health promotion during AS. METHODS: An explorative qualitative research design was adopted. Four focus groups were used to collected data from 24 men enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Research International: AS (PRIAS) protocol. A thematic analysis with an inductive approach was performed. RESULTS:Participants described promoting health during AS as challenged by mental, age-related, informational and organisational issues. It was reported as an effort to stay in the present with a positive outlook, despite the worries for the future ("the mental theme"). It was perceived as impacted by being older and having to manage physical and mental struggles related to age ("the life-course theme"). It depended, in their accounts, on obtaining reliable information and personalised education ("the educational theme"). Finally, it was related on taking responsibility on the care process ("the organisational theme"). CONCLUSION: This study suggested ways of promoting health during AS that can help healthcare professionals and organisations building a "health-promoting AS," able to improve overall health outcomes.
Authors: Julia Wade; Jenny Donovan; Athene Lane; Michael Davis; Eleanor Walsh; David Neal; Emma Turner; Richard Martin; Chris Metcalfe; Tim Peters; Freddie Hamdy; Roger Kockelbergh; James Catto; Alan Paul; Peter Holding; Derek Rosario; Howard Kynaston; Edward Rowe; Owen Hughes; Prasad Bollina; David Gillatt; Alan Doherty; Vincent J Gnanapragasam; Edgar Paez Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-09-09 Impact factor: 2.692