title: No improvement in distress and quality of life following psychosocial cancer rehabilitation. A randomised trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rehabilitation programmes are intended to help cancer patients achieve optimal functioning and live independently. We evaluated whether a psychosocial rehabilitation course was effective in relieving cancer patients' distress and improving their well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer diagnosed within 2 years who had finished primary treatment were randomised to usual care or a 6-day residential course of lectures, discussions and peer groups on issues related to treatment and living with cancer. Changes in self-reported distress (POMS-Sf) and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) from baseline to 1 and 6 months' follow-up were measured. Analyses were adjusted for baseline scores of outcome, cancer site, time since diagnosis, gender, age and education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 507 patients, 452 were included in the analyses, 404 completed the 1-month and 394 the 6-month assessment. Patients in the control group showed greater decreases in total mood disturbance and subscales of the POMS-Sf and showed more improvement in emotional, cognitive and social functioning at both 1 and 6 months and in role functioning at 6 months than the intervention group. A similar pattern was observed in analyses of breast cancer patients only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 6-day residential rehabilitation course did not relieve cancer patients' distress or improve their well-being.
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for Cancer Rehabilitation, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. nrottmann@health.sdu.dk
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rottmann
authors.forename: Susanne Oksbjerg
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Pernille Envold
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Bidstrup
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Würtzen
authors.forename: Mette Terp
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Høybye
authors.forename: Lone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: Dorte Gilså
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Christoffer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010379:Peer Group; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome