[Chronic fatigue in cancer patients].

Abstract

Background: Due to improvements in long-term survival in cancer patients, emphasis is increasingly placed on chronic symptoms such as cancer-related fatigue in patients after completion of cancer treatment. Fatigue prevalence in these patients ranges from 17% to 56%. However, there is a lack of complex treatments that take the multifactorial character of fatigue causation into account.

Patients and methods: Based on a needs analysis, a patient education program was developed and evaluated. The study aimed at cancer patients after completion of the cancer treatment who suffer from chronic fatigue. The self-management program FIBS consists of six modules. Information about fatigue and behavioural therapy orientated strategies and exercises are included. Patients who attended the program were highly satisfied. They were satisfied with the selected topics at an average of 84.0%, and with the conditions at 84.25%. 95.8% of the patients achieved a subjectively perceived personal benefit, on average 8.14 of 12 possible points. The overall patient education satisfaction scored 78.72%.

Conclusion: The newly developed self-management program closes a gap in health care of cancer patients with chronic fatigue for whom there are hardly any intervention options to date. The program is characterised by target group-specific contents and methods and a high satisfaction of the patients.