Cancer, Physical Activity and Quality of Life- a Longterm Follow up

Overview

This project is a 6-8-years follow-up of a randomized controlled trial testing a stepped care stress management program. The main goal is to examining differences in long-term effects on cancer-related stress reactions and emotional reactivity between the intervention and control group. Secondary objectives is to investigate consequences of cancer and its' treatment over time, such as long term quality of life, objectively physical activity and experiences concerning follow-up and the transition from specialist health services to municipal health services.

Major improvements in cancer detection and treatment lead to longer life expectancy among cancer survivors. This may in turn lead to more late effects and many have to deal with long-term consequences of the disease and its' treatment. Returning to everyday life and to work is often an important part of returning to normal life for cancer survivors. There is increasing knowledge concerning late effects, but there is still lack of knowledge concerning the life of those experiencing late effects. There is a need for more knowledge about late effects' impact on the return to work prosess, physical activity and quality of life over time. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be utilized. Standardized questionnaires will provide information on the effect of the intervention over time, in addition to quality of life over time. Sensewear armband will provide information about their physical activity over time. Official register data from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (the NAV administration) will provide us information about the work- and benefit situation through the whole follow-up period of 6-8 years. The register data include information about type of social benefits (sick-leave benefit, work assessment allowance (WAA), disability pension, unemployment benefit and retirement pension), as well as information about occupation, income and sick leave diagnosis. Focus group interviews will give us insight in the cancer survivors own experiences with quality of life over time, the transition from the specialist health services to the primary health care and the follow-up in the municipalities.

Conditions