Date of Award

6-2024

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Tania Shearon, DHSc, OTR/L, CHT, C-IAYT

Abstract

Background. Individuals with breast cancer experience side effects and impairments from the disease and treatments that impact their physical, cognitive, neurological, emotional, and social health. Breast cancer-related psychosocial issues are most prevalent right after diagnosis. Services prior to receiving breast cancer treatment or surgery are termed prehabilitation (prehab) and have been shown to improve patient outcomes. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners play an important role in the rehabilitation of patient with cancer and can contribute to prehab services.

Methods. This was a program evaluation and quality improvement project that used data collected during prehab evaluations for breast cancer to create supplemental resources. The 14-week project was broken into four phases including recruitment and survey design, observations and data collection, needs assessment and resource creation, and dissemination and project evaluation. After dissemination, a final participant survey determined the effectiveness and outcomes of the project.

Results and Discussion. Identified gaps include limited screening and interventions for psychosocial needs of patients with breast cancer and limited OT participation in prehab. Two screening tools and two patient handouts were provided to HonorHealth to supplement the prehab evaluations. Following dissemination, HonorHealth therapists indicated that the project and its deliverables will help improve the quality and effectiveness of the prehab evaluations. Multiple limitations were identified in the methods and results of the project, but the overall project outcomes indicate a need for further to services address the psychosocial needs of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer and further OT involvement in prehab services for this population.

Download

Share

COinS