title: A clinical study to assess the efficacy of belly dancing as a tool for rehabilitation in female patients with malignancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective, non-randomised follow-up study was designed to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), perceived social support (PSS) and overall life satisfaction (OLS) in female patients receiving standard medical care for malignant diseases with or without additional belly dancing.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were recruited in the Outpatient Department of the National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary during the period of 2008-2009. 55 patients joined the one-year-long rehabilitation program (research group, RG) while 59 age-matched patients who received only standard medical care volunteered for clinical assessment (control group, CG). HRQoL, PSS and OLS were assessed using validated questionnaires: EORTC QLQ-C30, F-SozU-K14, and Campbell's OLS, respectively. The scores obtained in RG and CG were controlled for baseline socio-demographic characteristics and evaluated by ANCOVA analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that patients of the RG scored better at both the baseline and follow-up than the CG, and the differences between the two groups' measured parameters increased further during the course of the study. The respective baseline values in RG and CG were 56.6 ± 10.3 vs 63.5 ± 12 for HRQoL, 65.2 ± 5.5 vs 57.4 ± 8.8 for PSS and 57.4 ± 8.1 vs 48.4 ± 10.7 for OLS. The corresponding follow-up scores were 51.9 ± 4.4 vs 59.9 ± 11.2 (F = 10.637, p = 0.001) for HRQoL, 67.5 ± 2.7 vs 53.9 ± 10.5 (F = 2.646, p = 0.000) for PSS and 59.5 ± 9.6 vs 45.0 ± 11.5 (F = 2.402, p = 0.001) for OLS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Belly dance intervention can be applied as a complementary rehabilitation method to improve HRQoL, PSS and OLS in female patients treated for malignant diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Vörösmarty u. 4, H-7621 Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szalai
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Bernadett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lévay
authors.affiliation: Doctoral School of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, H-1053 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szirmai
authors.affiliation: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Vörösmarty u. 4, H-7621 Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.affiliation: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Vörösmarty u. 4, H-7621 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: premusz.viktoria@pte.hu.
authors.forename: Viktória
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prémusz
authors.affiliation: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Vörösmarty u. 4, H-7621 Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bódis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003614:Dance Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Belly dance; Cancer; Health-related quality of life; Oncology; Rehabilitation; Satisfaction; Social support