A feasibility study of the Mini-AFTER telephone intervention for the management of fear of recurrence in breast cancer survivors: a mixed-methods study protocol

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Karen Scanlon¹  Deborah Fenlon²  Emma Steel³  Susanne Cruickshank³  Jo Armes⁴  Elspeth Banks⁵  Gerald Humphris⁶ 

[1] Breast Cancer Care, Central Office—Kennington Business Park Chester House;College of Health and Human Sciences, Swansea University;Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling;Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King’s College London;National Cancer Research Institute;School of Medicine, University of St Andrews;

关键词: Fear of cancer recurrence;    Breast cancer;    Breast care nurses;    Mixed methods;    Intervention;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40814-017-0161-8

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Fear of recurrence (FoR) is a major concern for patients following treatment for primary breast cancer, affecting 60–99% of breast cancer survivors. Mini-AFTER is a brief intervention developed to address this fear, that breast care nurses are ideally placed to deliver. However, their interest in delivering such an intervention is unknown and crucial to its introduction. This study aims to assess the perceived feasibility of the Mini-AFTER telephone intervention for implementation by breast care nurses to manage moderate levels of fear of recurrence among breast cancer survivors. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design will be used, informed by normalisation process theory (NPT). The design will be guided by the stages of NPT. Specifically, understanding and evaluating the process (implementation) that would enable an intervention, such as the Mini-AFTER, not only to be operationalised and normalised into everyday work (embedded) but also sustained in practice (integration). Phase 1: all members on the UK Breast Cancer Care Nursing Network database (n = 905) will be emailed a link to a web-based survey, designed to investigate how breast cancer survivors’ FoR is identified and managed within current services and their willingness to deliver the Mini-AFTER. Phase 2: a purposive sample of respondents (n = 20) will be interviewed to build upon the responses in phase 1 and explore breast care nurses’ individual views on the importance of addressing fear of recurrence in their clinical consultations, interest in the Mini-AFTER intervention, the content, skills required and challenges to deliver the intervention. Discussion This study will provide information about the willingness of breast care nurses (BCNs) to provide a structured intervention to manage fear of recurrence. It will identify barriers and facilitators for effective delivery and inform the future design of a larger trial of the Mini-AFTER intervention.

【 授权许可】

Unknown