Methodological reflections on body-mind intervention studies with cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Methodological reflection on the content, results and limitations of three body-mind intervention studies with cancer patients (CPs) in order to improve the quality of studies on body-mind interventions and to raise the potential value for CPs.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of a study on haptotherapy and two studies applying relaxing face massage, using a variety of well-being effect measures. Six methodological themes are discussed: (1) drop-out; (2) characteristics of participating patients, (3) participation of patients in other complementary interventions; (4) satisfaction of participants; (5) effects of the three interventions, and (6) role of response shift.


RESULTS
The three interventions showed limited effects after controlling for relevant confounding factors. They are mainly the small sample sizes, the low intensity of the intervention, the possible inadequate measure moments and the use of other CAM that may be responsible for the absence of effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Body-mind interventions require more methodological reflections to develop attractive and effective interventions for CPs. Attention needs to be paid to measuring short term effects, practically fitting research designs, and response shift.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions should be intensive, repeated and not too short. The implementation of interventions requires attention to several organizational factors in the health care.
Rotterdam University, Institute of Health Care, Expertise Center Transitions of Care, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. adriaan.visser@planet.nl
Adriaan
A
Visser
Alexandra
A
Schoolmeesters
Machteld
M
van den Berg
Nicole
N
Schell
Rianne
R
de Gelder
Bart
B
van den Borne
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019124:Therapeutic Touch; D016896:Treatment Outcome