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Expectancy and Utilisation of Reflexology among Women with Advanced Breast Cancer
Author(s) -
Rottman Benjamin M.,
Wyatt Gwen,
Crane Tracy E.,
Sikorskii Alla
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
applied psychology: health and well‐being
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.276
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1758-0854
pISSN - 1758-0846
DOI - 10.1111/aphw.12194
Subject(s) - reflexology , medicine , physical therapy , expectancy theory , breast cancer , life expectancy , randomized controlled trial , alternative medicine , cancer , massage , psychology , population , social psychology , pathology , environmental health
Objective Little is understood about patient expectations and use of complementary therapies (CT) during cancer treatment. A secondary analysis of an 11‐week reflexology trial among women with breast cancer was conducted. We examined factors that predicted women’s expectations about reflexology for symptom relief, factors that predicted utilisation of reflexology, and whether by the end of the trial they believed that reflexology had helped with symptom management. Methods Women ( N = 256) were interviewed at baseline and week 11. Friend or family caregivers in the reflexology group were trained to deliver standardised sessions to patients at least once a week for 4 weeks. Baseline and week‐11 reflexology expectations were analysed using general linear models. Reflexology utilisation was analysed with generalised linear mixed effects models. Results Patients who expected benefits from reflexology (“higher expectancy”) at baseline were younger, had lower anxiety, higher education, higher spirituality, and greater CT use. Worsening symptoms over time were associated with greater utilisation of reflexology, but only when baseline expectancy was low. At week 11, expectancy was higher for those with greater symptom improvement. Conclusions Assessing patterns of patient factors, expectancy, and change in symptoms can help determine who is likely to use reflexology, and when.