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Research in Practice

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The Joyful Freedom Approach to Cancer-Related Fatigue

Abstract

This chapter presents two examples of research in practice relevant to cancer-related fatigue. The first is called An Educational Intervention for Physical Exercise in Breast Cancer Care where the intervention, an information booklet written for breast care nurses in the United Kingdom, was evaluated for its effect on changing attitudes, behaviour and practice. The resultant randomised controlled study demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge due to robust variables such as promotion of health, promotion of exercise and understanding how exercise can reduce cancer-related fatigue. The study also showed that an example of an evidence-based printed material, such as an information booklet, can be used as an effective research dissemination method when developed to align with the needs, values and context of a targeted audience. The second study, Understanding the Meaning of Fatigue at the End of Life: An Ethnoscience Study, was a qualitative investigation that was conducted in four countries. Its purpose was to identify the behavioural patterns that distinguish fatigue from tiredness and exhaustion and provide a conceptual definition of tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion. The outcome was the creation of a Taxonomy of Fatigue that compared three domains: tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion according to mental and physical challenges (as segregates) and six divisions (sub-segregates).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia

    Marilynne N. Kirshbaum RN, PhD

Authors
  1. Marilynne N. Kirshbaum RN, PhD
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Kirshbaum, M.N. (2021). Research in Practice. In: The Joyful Freedom Approach to Cancer-Related Fatigue. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76932-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76932-1_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-76931-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-76932-1

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