title: Quality of life in breast cancer survivors: 2 years post self-management intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Today, cancer survivors have an added new role to self manage living with the medical, emotional and role tasks that can affect their quality of life (QOL). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the QOL of women two years after participating in a self-management intervention program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical trial was conducted at University Malaya Medical Centre between 2006 and 2008. The experimental group underwent a 4-week self management program, and the control group underwent usual care. Two years after the intervention, questionnaires were randomly posted out to the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 51 questionnaires returned. There were statistically differences between groups in psychological, self-care, mobility and participation aspects in PIPP (p<0.05). The experimental group reported having higher confidence to live with breast cancer compared to control group (p<0.05). There were significant between-group changes in anxiety scores at T2 (immediately after intervention) to T4 (two years later), and the differences in anxiety scores within groups between time point T2 and T4 were significantly different (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SAMA program is potentially capable to serve as a model intervention for successful transition to survivorship following breast cancer treatment. The program needs to be further tested for efficacy in a larger trial involving more diverse populations of women completing breast cancer treatment.
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. syloh@um.edu.my
authors: Siew Yim
authors: SY
authors: Loh
authors: Shin-Lin
authors: SL
authors: Chew
authors: Shing-Yee
authors: SY
authors: Lee
authors: K F
authors: KF
authors: Quek
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*