Abstract
BackgroundBreast cancer survivors who participate in physical activity (PA) are reported to experience improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, the quantitative research exploring the relationship between the team-based activity of dragon boat racing and the HRQOL of breast cancer survivors is limited. Given the rising number of breast cancer survivors, and their growing attraction to dragon boating, further exploration of the influence of this activity on HRQOL is warranted.MethodsThis study is designed to: 1) quantitatively assess whether and how breast cancer survivors’ participation in a season of dragon boat racing is related to HRQOL and 2) qualitatively explore the survivors’ lived experience of dragon boating and how and why this experience is perceived to influence HRQOL. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was used with the purpose of complementing quantitative findings with qualitative data. Quantitative data measuring HRQOL were collected at baseline and post-season (N = 100); semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to elicit a personal account of the dragon boat experience (N = 15).ResultsStatistically significant improvements were shown for HRQOL, physical, functional, emotional and spiritual well-being, breast cancer-specific concerns and cancer-related fatigue. A trend towards significance was shown for social/family well-being. Qualitative data elaborated on the quantitative findings, greatly enhancing the understanding of how and why dragon boat racing influences HRQOL.ConclusionsThe use of a mixed methods design effectively captured the complex yet positive influence of dragon boating on survivor HRQOL. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature supporting the value of dragon boat racing as a viable PA intervention for enhancing survivor HRQOL.
Highlights
Breast cancer survivors who participate in physical activity (PA) are reported to experience improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
This study is designed to address the following research questions: 1) Do breast cancer survivors who participate in a season of dragon boat racing experience a change in HRQOL from baseline to post-season, as assessed by valid and reliable quantitative HRQOL measures? If so, what degree of change is reflected within physical, functional, emotional, social/family and spiritual well-being?; 2) What does dragon boat racing mean to breast cancer survivors and what are their perceptions of how this experience has influenced their HRQOL? how do they describe this experience as well as any changes related to the physical, functional, emotional, social/family and spiritual well-being?
The 16 women withdrawing after the baseline assessment did not respond to the four contacts made by the researchers regarding participation in the post-season survey
Summary
Breast cancer survivors who participate in physical activity (PA) are reported to experience improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The quantitative research exploring the relationship between the team-based activity of dragon boat racing and the HRQOL of breast cancer survivors is limited. Given the rising number of breast cancer survivors, and their growing attraction to dragon boating, further exploration of the influence of this activity on HRQOL is warranted. More aggressive medical treatments and earlier detection rates have contributed to an estimated 5-year relative survival rate of 88% for those diagnosed with breast cancer [1,2,3]. Breast cancer and its treatment is associated with a host of negative side effects, long-term symptoms and troubling changes in appearance that can hinder health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Of the disease consequences experienced by breast cancer survivors, those most commonly reported to reduce HRQOL include fatigue, insomnia, pain, arm morbidity, lymphoedema, depression and fear of recurrence [5,6,7,8,9,10]
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