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Predictors of fatigue in cancer patients before and after chemotherapy

  • Maria M. Pertl
  • , David Hevey
  • , Sonya Collier
  • , Kathryn Lambe
  • , Anne Marie O'Dwyer
  • Trinity College Dublin
  • St James's Hospital

Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer)Articlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Fatigue is a debilitating and common condition in cancer patients. This study examined pretreatment predictors of fatigue before chemotherapy and also assessed whether these could prospectively predict fatigue posttreatment. A total of 100 patients completed questionnaires assessing psychological factors, physical activity and sleep. A subsample of 26 participants wore actigraphs to objectively assess sleep/wake and activity/rest. Fatigue was measured pretreatment and posttreatment and at follow-up several months later. Greater pretreatment pain, depression, stress and sleep disruption significantly predicted greater fatigue before chemotherapy, explaining 55 percent of the variance. Pretreatment fatigue significantly predicted post-treatment fatigue. No other significant prospective predictors of posttreatment fatigue emerged.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)699-710
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Health Psychology
Volume19
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2014
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • cancer
  • health care
  • health psychology
  • illness
  • outcomes
  • psychological distress
  • side effects

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