EXAMINING PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AS MODERATORS OF THE EFFECT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON SLEEP AND FATIGUE FOR WOMEN WOTH BREAT CANCER UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY

Date

2020-04-22

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Abstract

Chemotherapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option for breast cancer patients; however, there are various side effects that often impact patients during and after treatment, including sleep disturbance and fatigue (Davidson et al., 2002). Yoga shows promise for reducing sleep disturbances (Cohen et al., 2004; Mustain et al., 2013) and fatigue among breast cancer patients. Mental health has been shown to be a consistent moderator of other supportive interventions in cancer patients (Schneider et al., 2010), and two studies suggest baseline mental health may also moderate the effect of yoga interventions (Ratcliff et al., 2016; Danhauer et al, 2009). This study examined the moderating effects of baseline mental health (i.e., anxiety and depression) on the effect of a Tibetan yoga (TYP) intervention compared to a stretching condition (STP) and a waitlist control (UC) indicated that baseline condition on sleep and fatigue in patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer at 1-week post-intervention. The moderating effects of mental health at later time points (i.e., 3, 6, and 12-months post intervention) along with sleep and fatigue at 1-week and follow-up time points were examined as exploratory analyses. Significant results indicated that baseline global sleep disturbance moderated the effect of group on global sleep disturbance at 1-week follow-up, When compared between groups there were significant differences between UC and TYP (=-.337, p = .001) and UC and STP (=-.292, p = .003). Additional, significant analyses were shown between baseline sleep efficiency, global sleep, and anxiety symptoms on the effect of group on sleep disturbances at various follow-up time points; however, group differences were not significant. This study indicated that when allocating yoga or stretching related resources to patients with breast cancer, baseline sleep should be assessed to determine which patients would receive the most benefit.

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Yoga, Chemotherapy

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