Seyedehtanaz Saeidzadeh1, Stephanie Gilbertson-White2, Catherine H Cherwin2, Heather Schacht Reisinger3, Nicholas Kendell4, Nitin A Pagedar5, Aaron T Seaman3. 1. School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. Electronic address: Saeidzadeh@wisc.edu. 2. College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. 3. Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. 4. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. 5. Department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Post-treatment head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors contend with distinct, long-term challenges related to cancer treatments that impact their day-to-day lives. Alongside follow-up cancer care, they also must be responsible for the daily management of often intrusive physical and psychological symptoms, as well as maintaining their health and a lifestyle to promote their well-being. The purpose of this study was to identify HNC survivors' approaches toward engagement in self-management activities. METHODS: Post-treatment HNC survivors (N=22) participated in the study through purposeful sampling. Participants were eligible if they 1) had a history of upper aerodigestive tract cancer; 2) completed their most recent primary treatment (i.e. chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery) more than eighteen months prior and had no evidence of HNC, and 3) could speak in English. A semi-structured interview was used. Data was analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: We identified three approaches that survivors took towards self-management activities: taking charge, living with it, and engaging as needed. Our results showed that taking charge is when survivors take an active role in evaluating their health and taking action subsequently; as needed represents engaging in self-management as necessary; and living with it reflects adapting to the symptoms and side effects without managing them. CONCLUSIONS: We propose self-management approaches as a novel mechanism to understand the relationship between survivors' characteristics and health preferences and their self-management. It is important for clinicians to highlight the variation in individuals 'self-management approaches as they work to identify tailored patient-centered strategies that compliment specific patient needs.
PURPOSE: Post-treatment head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors contend with distinct, long-term challenges related to cancer treatments that impact their day-to-day lives. Alongside follow-up cancer care, they also must be responsible for the daily management of often intrusive physical and psychological symptoms, as well as maintaining their health and a lifestyle to promote their well-being. The purpose of this study was to identify HNC survivors' approaches toward engagement in self-management activities. METHODS: Post-treatment HNC survivors (N=22) participated in the study through purposeful sampling. Participants were eligible if they 1) had a history of upper aerodigestive tract cancer; 2) completed their most recent primary treatment (i.e. chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery) more than eighteen months prior and had no evidence of HNC, and 3) could speak in English. A semi-structured interview was used. Data was analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: We identified three approaches that survivors took towards self-management activities: taking charge, living with it, and engaging as needed. Our results showed that taking charge is when survivors take an active role in evaluating their health and taking action subsequently; as needed represents engaging in self-management as necessary; and living with it reflects adapting to the symptoms and side effects without managing them. CONCLUSIONS: We propose self-management approaches as a novel mechanism to understand the relationship between survivors' characteristics and health preferences and their self-management. It is important for clinicians to highlight the variation in individuals 'self-management approaches as they work to identify tailored patient-centered strategies that compliment specific patient needs.