Experiences of difficulty that patients with cancer faced in the learning process of progressive muscle relaxation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to clarify the experiences of difficulty that patients with cancer faced in the learning process of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and to consider which kind of PMR guidance should be given to weak patients with cancer.


METHODS
The participants were instructed to practise PMR for 2 weeks when they were in good condition. The interview was conducted 1 week and 2 weeks after the PMR intervention. The 21 participants who experienced difficulty were analyzed. The analysis was completed by using the content analysis method.


RESULTS
Fifteen patients practised PMR by themselves one-to-two times per day. However, six patients practised PMR three-to-four times per week when they were in good condition. The interview answers fell into two categories: (i) experiences of difficulty that patients encountered in the learning process; and (ii) experiences in which patients had no feeling of change though they had practised PMR. The former category included the subcategories of experiences in which patients felt difficulty with PMR, experiences in which patients felt uncomfortable symptoms after PMR, and experiences in which patients did not feel it was good timing to learn PMR.


CONCLUSIONS
It is easy for disease to progress in patients with cancer and those with poor strength, so it is necessary to match the functional status of individual patients. It also is important to support patients in practising PMR whenever they have the desire, by respecting their will.
Kondo
Yuka
Y
Department of Nursing, School of Health Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan. ukkondo@shinshu-u.ac.jp
Koitabashi
Kikuyo
K
Kaneko
Yukiko
Y
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome