Psychological factors, pain and fatigue in cancer survivors
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the role of mental defeat, fear of cancer recurrence, and health related beliefs in distress and quality of life amongst cancer survivors experiencing persistent pain and fatigue
IRAS ID
201581
Contact name
Dawn L Lindsay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 29 days
Research summary
Many cancer survivors experience physical symptoms, including pain and fatigue, once they have completed treatment. We know that feeling low about these symptoms, fearing that cancer may return in the future, and worrying about health in general, are common and very normal for people who have finished treatment. However, sometimes people can experience anxiety, fears, and a low mood at a level that becomes quite disruptive and intrusive to their everyday lives.
We would like to find out which psychological factors (e.g. feeling ‘defeated’ by physical symptoms or fearing that cancer may return in the future) have the biggest effect on mood, anxiety, and quality of life. We would also like to explore whether what people think and feel is affected by the physical symptoms that they experience.
This should help us to design more effective psychological therapies to support people to manage their emotional wellbeing better.
The project will involve 2 stages.
Stage 1: Cancer survivors attending their local oncology clinic for follow-up review appointment will be asked to complete a symptom checklist which asks about physical symptoms and emotional reactions that are common in people who have had a diagnosis of cancer and have received treatment for this.
Information collected from this checklist will help us to update figures about how common these symptoms are.
Stage 2: Individuals who complete the symptom checklist and indicate interest in participating in the next stage of the project will be contacted by the researcher.
For those wishing to participate, a questionnaire pack which assesses physical symptoms and emotional difficulties in further detail, will be posted for completion. Participants will have the option to return the questionnaire pack by pre-paid envelope to the Chief Investigator or return it directly to their clinician if preferred.REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0420
Date of REC Opinion
28 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion