The cancer patients’ perspective on feasibility of using a fatigue diary and the benefits on self-management: results from a longitudinal study

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the patients’ perspective on feasibility of using a fatigue diary and its benefits on self-management. Methods This longitudinal study enrolled 50 cancer patients in routine care. Following baseline (t0) assessment, patients were asked to complete a 7-day fatigue diary and subsequently obtained written diary evaluation. Feasibility, benefits, and fatigue-related attitudes were assessed via self-report 1 (t1) and 4 months (t2) after distributing the diary. Data were analyzed descriptively and using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results Most patients (94%) completed the diary for 7 days and rated feasibility as high. After diary completion and receiving the evaluation, fewer patients felt helpless in the face of fatigue (t1: 21% vs. t0: 53%). Additionally, more patients addressed fatigue with their general practitioner (t2: 49% vs. t0: 36%) and pro-actively searched for information and help (t2: 59% vs. t0: 38%). The diary enabled a majority of patients to be aware of their fatigue patterns, to plan daily routines accordingly and to take adequate actions against fatigue. Conclusion The study showed that symptom monitoring via a fatigue diary was considered feasible and enhanced self-management in cancer patients. Thus, fatigue diaries might be a useful measure contributing to an improved fatigue management. The results reinforce guideline recommendations for routine application of fatigue diaries in clinical care. Healthcare professionals should encourage patients to fatigue diary use and provide individually tailored counseling based on diary entries.

Turning a Curve: How People Use Everyday Resources to Negotiate Recovery From Cancer Treatment With Curative Intent

“…Thiessen et al (2018, 2022) have explored the “non-patient domain”, pinpointing the significance of roles and relationships after cancer treatment, and the centrality of routine in the construction of meaning. Milzer et al (2022) demonstrated that the boundary-setting activity of recording patterns of fatigue in a diary helps to shape new daily routines during recovery. Corremans et al’s (2022) consideration of food hedonics demonstrates how this could encourage task-focused social interaction based on curiosity and decentralize dialogue around the “suffering patient” (p. 2685).…”

Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology–ASCO Guideline

“…It is also noted that keeping diaries of symptoms, side effects, and treatments received can help organize cancer care. 164,165 The current guideline has many consistencies with the prior 2017 SIO integrative therapy guidelines created for people with breast cancer. 166 In those guidelines, the US Preventive Services Task Force grading system was used, 167 which is different from the currently used system in that it assigns grades to the evidence base, but both assess strength of evidence as determined by the number of trials, quality of trials, magnitude of effect, statistical significance, sample size, and consistency of results across studies.…”

“…It is also noted that keeping diaries of symptoms, side effects, and treatments received can help organize cancer care. 164,165…”

Unraveling the fatigue puzzle: insights into the pathogenesis and management of IBD-related fatigue including the role of the gut-brain axis

“…Maladaptive coping strategies such as daytime naps and all-or-nothing behavior should be discouraged ( 65 , 194 ) and support from relatives can be advantageous in accepting and dealing with fatigue ( 193 ). To optimize communication with the physician during consultations patients can be encouraged to keep a fatigue diary, as this was proven beneficial in cancer-related fatigue ( 195 , 196 ). In the future, there might also be a place for the use of telemedicine tools to offer patients continuous and personalized monitoring of the disease and its complications (including fatigue), such as the recently developed tool myIBDcoach® ( 197 ).…”