Patterns of daily physical activity and fatigue in cancer survivors: a pilot study

Activity management is frequently included in the management of Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF). However, the evidence of the beneficial effects of activity management on CRF is scarce. The aim of our study was to explore patterns of fatigue and physical activity throughout the day to see how physical activity is related to self-reported fatigue in cancer survivors.\ud Cancer survivors that finished curative treatment reported increasing levels of fatigue throughout the day. The increase in fatigue accompanied a decrease in level of physical activity. Survivors that showed highest activity in the morning and afternoon also reported higher levels of fatigue in the evening. This suggest that adequate management of daily physical activity could aid in management of CRF

The implementation, actual use and user experience of an online home exercise program that fits the needs of older adults with mild cognitive impairments

As the population ages, the number of people in our communities suffering with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will increase. Individuals with MCI may benefit from e-health interventions for exercise promotion, but there is a need for such an e-health program that fits the needs of older adults with MCI. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation, actual use and user-experience of a home-based exercise program developed for older adults with MCI. Questionnaires were filled in about the implementation strategy, actual use and user-experience (usefulness, usability and satisfaction). Fifty-seven older adults and eight formal caregivers participated in the study. Mean duration of the sessions was 18 minutes (+/-15). The user-experience of the older adults was higher than that of the formal caregivers. Formal caregivers mainly offered the program at the home care organization, but some older adults indicated that they were willing to try it at home. In conclusion, the online exercise program is feasible and potentially beneficial for older adults when taking into account the e-health literacy of older adults and attitude towards e-health of formal caregivers in the implementation strategy

Ambulant monitoring and web-accessible home-based exercise program during outpatient follow-up for resected lung cancer survivors: actual use and feasibility in clinical practice

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a telehealthcare application for operable lung cancer (OLC) patients, consisting of ambulant symptom and physical activity monitoring (S&PAM) and a web-accessible home-based exercise program (WEP), and identify possible barriers for successful adoption and implementation. Methods: A two-stage mixed methods design was used, in which 22 OLC patients and their treating healthcare professionals (HCPs) participated from pre-surgery to three (stage 1; n = 10) or six (stage 2; n = 12) months post-surgery. Actual use and acceptability (usability, usefulness, and satisfaction) were evaluated. Results: Seventeen OLC patients (age (SD): 59 (8) years; 8 female) actively used the modules. S&PAM use varied from 1 to 11 monitoring days prior to outpatient consultations. Patients used WEP most frequently during the first 5 weeks, with an average of four logins a week. Fifty-eight percent used WEP beyond 7 weeks. No adverse situations occurred, and patients felt confident using the applications. Perceived added value included active lifestyle promotion, decreased anxiety, and accessibility to specialized HCPs. Physiotherapists used WEP as intended. Contrarily, physicians scarcely used information from S&PAM. To promote future adoption, strategies should focus on high-level patient tailoring of the technology, and formalization of including the applications in the clinical workflow. Conclusions: Ambulant monitoring and web-accessible home exercise is clinically feasible for OLC patients. However, low level of adoption by referring physicians may hamper successful implementation. Implications for cancer survivors: Patients perceived both ambulant monitoring and web-accessible exercise as an added value to regular care and feasible to use in the period before and after lung resection