Date Presented 04/22/2023
Eighty percent of breast cancer patients report sleep disturbances while undergoing treatment. The purpose of this mixed-methods research presentation is to understand the impact of chemotherapy on the occupation of sleep among breast cancer survivors.
Primary Author and Speaker: Manisha Sheth
Additional Authors and Speakers: Nicole Pisano, Antonia Hillman, Tiffany De Guzman, Monica Ribeiro, Rileigh Rodriguez
PURPOSE: Approximately 80% of breast cancer patients report sleep disturbances while undergoing treatment (2,3). The purpose of this mixed-method research was to understand the impact of chemotherapy on the occupation of sleep among breast cancer survivors.
DESIGN: Participants were recruited through purposive and convenience sampling; eligibility criteria included adult women who had been diagnosed and had completed breast cancer treatment within the past ten years, who could read/speak English, and who were members of a closed Facebook group for breast cancer survivors.
METHOD: Ten female breast cancer survivors were recruited through Facebook and Instagram to complete a closed-ended survey questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questions. Survey data was analyzed through Jeffrey’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP). Two participants who had undergone chemotherapy participated in virtual face-to-face interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed by identifying codes and themes. Trustworthiness was ensured by triangulation, saturation, member checking and peer debriefing.
RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were used to report quantitative data, which showed a significant decrease in the number of hours of sleep for breast cancer survivors before the start of the chemotherapy treatment compared to during treatment. There was a significant change in the quality and quantity of sleep among participants. Qualitative themes that emerged were - side effects of medications and supplements, disturbed and interrupted sleep cycles, fatigue from treatments, and additional mental health factors impacting their sleep quality.
CONCLUSION AND IMPACT STATEMENT: While results indicate that chemotherapy does impact on quality and quantity of sleep among breast cancer survivors, more research is warranted to explore other breast cancer treatments, such as surgical procedures, radiation and hormone therapy and their impact on sleep.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework (4th ed.) American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), Article 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
Ayubbana, S., Inayati, A., Utami, I.T., Purwono, J., & Ludhiana. (2020). Association of sleep quality with fatigue among cancer patients who took chemotherapy in Jend Ahmad Yani hospital metro city 2018. Indian Journal of Public Research & Development. 11(2) 1192-1196. https://doi.org/10.37506/v11/i2/2020/ijphrd/194982
Bodai, B. I., & Tuso, P. (2015). Breast cancer survivorship: A comprehensive review of long-term medical issues and lifestyle recommendations. The Permanente Journal, 19(2), 48.https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/14-241
