Relationships between Exercise Modality and Activity Restriction, Quality of Life, and Hematopoietic Profile in Korean Breast Cancer Survivors

Relationship between kinesiophobia and quality of life among patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: Chain-mediating effect of self-care and functional exercise compliance

Objective

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer survivors following treatment. This study explores the association between kinesiophobia (fear of pain caused by movement) and QoL in postsurgical BCRL survivors and examines whether self-care and compliance with functional exercise act as mediators between these variables.

Methods

This cross-sectional study surveyed 274 BCRL patients at three tertiary hospitals in Shenyang City, China, from May 2020 to October 2022. The participants completed self-reported questionnaires on self-care, functional exercise compliance, kinesiophobia, and QoL. Medication analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro (Model 6).

Results

Kinesiophobia was found to have negative association with self-care (P < 0.001), functional exercise compliance (P < 0.001), and QoL (P < 0.001). Kinesiophobia indirectly affected QoL through three mediating pathways: self-care (effect = -0.132), functional exercise compliance (effect = -0.390), and a combination of self-care and functional exercise compliance (effect = -0.220), collectively accounting for 7.9%, 23.3%, and 13.1% of the total effect, respectively.

Conclusions

This study highlights the substantial chain-mediating role of self-care and functional exercise compliance in the relationship between kinesiophobia and QoL. It provides valuable evidence supporting the protective effects of self-care and functional exercise compliance in mitigating kinesiophobia and enhancing the QoL of BCRL survivors.

Editorial: New Training Strategies and Evaluation Methods for Improving Health and Physical Performance

Physical activity is among the most effective methods for improving health, body composition, and physical function, and its practice is suitable for every population [...].

Health-Related Quality of Life among Cancer Survivors Depending on the Occupational Status

The study aimed to identify and compare the factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) depending on the occupational status of cancer survivors. This study was a secondary data analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2014 to 2018. Hierarchical multivariate linear regression was used to investigate the factors affecting the HRQoL of each group. Non-working cancer survivors had significantly lower HRQoL than working cancer survivors (p < 0.001). A hierarchical multiple regression model showed that demographic, health-related, and psychological characteristics explained 62.0% of non-working cancer survivors' HRQoL (F = 4.29, p < 0.001). Among the input variables, health-related characteristics were the most influential factors (ΔR² = 0.274, F = 9.84, p < 0.001). For working cancer survivors, health-related characteristics were the only variable that was statistically associated with HRQoL (F = 5.556, p < 0.001). It is important to enhance physical activities and manage the chronic disease to improve the HRQoL of working cancer survivors. Further, managing health-related characteristics, including depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, is necessary for non-working cancer survivors. Regarding working survivors, psychological factors such as depressive symptoms and suicidal tendencies did not affect HRQoL. Therefore, an early and effective return to work program should be developed for the improvement of their HRQoL.