To critically assess the impact of theory-guided positive psychological interventions on the quality of life of breast cancer patients and survivors.
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
A comprehensive literature search was conducted across seven electronic databases from inception to August 2024. Randomised controlled trials that examined the effects of theory-guided positive psychological interventions on adult breast cancer patients or survivors and reported quality of life outcomes were included. Screening, data extraction and critical appraisal were independently performed by the reviewers using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB2). A meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan Web. The study was reported following the PRISMA 2020 Statement.
Five randomised controlled trials were included. Only two of these studies showed a low risk of bias across all quality measures. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in quality of life following theory-guided positive psychological interventions, with low heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses revealed that interventions lasting either less than or longer than 3 weeks, and both group-based and individual-based formats, had positive effects on quality of life. Additional psychological benefits were observed including reductions in depressive symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress and improvements in post-traumatic growth, resilience, hope and perceived benefits. One study also reported improvements in sleep quality.
The findings demonstrate that theory-guided positive psychological interventions can potentially significantly improve quality of life in breast cancer patients. However, the limited number of studies underscores the need for further high-quality research to validate these findings and identify the most effective intervention characteristics.
Our systematic review highlights that theory-guided positive psychological interventions show promise as an effective strategy for improving the quality of life in breast cancer patients. These interventions can enhance psychosocial support strategies, paving the way for better-informed approaches that lead to improved patient outcomes.
No patient or public contribution.
The systematic review and meta-analysis had been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration ID number: CRD42024581382
Disease severity negatively affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among people with heart failure (HF). However, the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. Illness perceptions and depression serve as potential mediators of this relationship, but the evidence supporting this is limited.
To investigate the relationships among disease severity, illness perceptions, depression and HRQOL in people with HF, as well as to explore the mediating roles of illness perceptions and depression in the relationship between disease severity and HRQOL.
People with HF were recruited from a tertiary hospital in China between January and May 2023. All the participants were assessed for disease severity, illness perceptions, depression, HRQOL and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The mediation analysis was performed using PROCESS macro in SPSS. The STROBE checklist was followed.
This study recruited 164 subjects. Disease severity had a significant total effect on HRQOL (β = 0.716, 95% CI: 4.475, 12.068). The results showed that illness perceptions mediated the relationship between disease severity and HRQOL (β = 0.172, 95% CI: 0.042, 0.337), accounting for 24.02% of the total effect. However, a significant mediating role of depression in this relationship was not found. Furthermore, we found that illness perceptions and depression sequentially mediated the relationship between disease severity and HRQOL (β = 0.194, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.395), which accounted for 27.09% of the total effect.
The effect of disease severity on HRQOL is sequentially mediated by illness perceptions and depression. Illness perceptions are important predictors of HRQOL. Targeted interventions should be employed to improve illness perceptions, thereby enhancing HRQOL among people with HF.
Medical staff can carefully assess patient's illness perceptions and implement appropriate strategies to enhance these illness perceptions, thereby improving their HRQOL.
No patient or public contribution.
To estimate the effects of nurse-led self-care interventions on people with heart failure (HF).
Research evidence of the effects of nurse-led HF self-care interventions on patient outcomes is scant.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, CINAHL and PsycINFO) were searched from the inception to December 2022 to identify eligible studies.
RCTs published in English that evaluated the impact of nurse-led HF self-care interventions on quality of life, anxiety, symptom burden, sleep quality, healthcare service utilisation and mortality were included. The risk of bias in included studies was assessed using RoB 2.0. We conducted data syntheses using the R software and graded the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA.
Twenty-five studies with 2746 subjects were included. Our findings demonstrated, that compared to the controls, nurse-led self-care interventions improved QOL (SMD: .83, 95% CI: .50–1.15, moderate evidence), anxiety (MD: 1.39, 95% CI: .49–2.29, high evidence) and symptom burden (SMD: .81, 95% CI: .24–1.38, low evidence) in people with HF. No significant effects were found in all-cause hospital readmission and all-cause emergency department visit. Research evidence on sleep quality, cardiac-related hospital readmission, cardiac-related emergency department visit and all-cause mortality remained unclear.
Our review suggests that nurse-led HF self-care interventions have favourable effects on the QOL, anxiety and symptom burden. Further, well-designed RCTs are warranted to address the gaps identified in this review.
The results indicated that nurse-led HF self-care interventions could improve QOL, anxiety and symptom burden in people with HF. Nurse-led self-care intervention could be integrated into current HF management practices.
To develop and validate a behavioural driving model for adherence to home-based cardiac rehabilitation exercise in patients with chronic heart failure, and to explain the potential driving mechanism of social support on exercise adherence.
Despite the benefits of home-based cardiac rehabilitation exercise, adherence among patients with chronic heart failure remains suboptimal. Several factors contributing to adherence have been confirmed; however, the specific pathway mechanisms by which these factors impact exercise adherence have not been thoroughly explored.
An exploratory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted in this study.
A total of 226 patients with chronic heart failure were recruited using convenience sampling. Quantitative data were collected using a series of self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to verify multiple pathways. Subsequently, 12 patients with chronic heart failure were drawn from the quantitative stage. The interview data were thematically analysed. This study followed the Good Reporting of a Mixed Methods Study (GRAMMS) guidelines (Appendix S1).
Perceived social support had a direct positive predictive effect on exercise adherence. Importantly, exercise self-efficacy and exercise fear played a chain-mediating role between perceived social support and exercise adherence. As a result of the qualitative phase, scale, tightness and homogeneity of social support networks emerged as potential drivers of the effectiveness of social support on exercise adherence.
This study reveals a potential pathway mechanism for social support to improve adherence to home-based cardiac rehabilitation exercises. Social support network plays a crucial role in the effect of social support on exercise adherence.
To enhance exercise adherence in home-based cardiac rehabilitation for patients with chronic heart failure, establishing a social support network is recommended. This strategy has the potential to promote exercise self-efficacy and alleviate exercise fear.
None.