The Patient Health Engagement Model in Cancer Management: Effect of Physical Activity, Distress Management, and Social Support Intervention to Improve the Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients

Background. Providing better care and encouraging behaviors promoting health are effective measures to manage breast cancer patients. The present research was conducted to carry out an intervention based on the PHE model to promote physical activity, distress management, social support, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Methods. This randomized control trial study was conducted on 123 women with breast cancer and their caregivers ( <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><a:mtext>group</a:mtext><a:mtext> </a:mtext><a:mn>1</a:mn><a:mo>=</a:mo><a:mn>61</a:mn></a:math> and <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><c:mtext>group</c:mtext><c:mtext> </c:mtext><c:mn>2</c:mn><c:mo>=</c:mo><c:mn>62</c:mn></c:math> ). Subjects entered the study from the oncology ward of a specialized clinic in Shiraz, Iran. The education was done through clips, pamphlets, and lectures in 8 sessions with a duration of 15 to 25 minutes. A posttest was carried out in the both groups in 2 times (the end and 3 months) after intervention. The SPSS25 software was used to analyze the data. Results. The mean and SD of age of group 1 were ( <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><e:mn>45.77</e:mn><e:mo>±</e:mo><e:mn>8.84</e:mn></e:math> ) and control group 2 ( <g:math xmlns:g="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><g:mn>45.58</g:mn><g:mo>±</g:mo><g:mn>77.64</g:mn></g:math> ). The fiding showed a significant difference between the mean scores of distress management, social support, physical activity, and cancer self-efficacy in group 1 vs. group 2 after intervention ( <i:math xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><i:mi>P</i:mi><i:mo><</i:mo><i:mn>0.001</i:mn></i:math> ). Also, the educational intervention improved quality of life ( <k:math xmlns:k="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"><k:mi>P</k:mi><k:mo>=</k:mo><k:mn>0.003</k:mn></k:math> ). Conclusion. Intervention program based on the PHE model may facilitate the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in breast cancer patient. Thus, it appears that the PHE model might promote patients’ quality of life.