A physical activity intervention to improve the quality of life of patients with a stoma: a feasibility study protocol

Gill Hubbard (Lead / Corresponding author), Rebecca J. Beeken, Claire Taylor, Angus J.M. Watson, Julie Munro, William Goodman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)
31 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is positively associated with quality of life. People with a stoma are less likely to engage in PA than those without a stoma. 

Methods: In this feasibility intervention study, we will perform the following: (1) Develop a PA intervention for people with a stoma. An Expert Working Group of behavioural scientists, exercise scientists, clinicians and a Patient Advisory Group of people with a bowel stoma will meet with the research team to inform the development of a PA intervention for people with a stoma. A manual of the intervention will be the main output. (2) Explore PA instructors' experiences of delivering the PA intervention. PA instructors will record on paper the number of PA consultations with each patient and a researcher will interview the PA instructors about their experiences of delivering the intervention. (3) Assess the level of patient (bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with a stoma between 6 weeks and 24 months postsurgery) engagement with the PA intervention and their views on intervention acceptability and usefulness. Patients will keep a PA diary to record daily pedometer recorded step count and type and duration of activities. A researcher will interview patients about their experiences of the PA intervention. (4) Assess screening, eligibility, consent, data completion, loss to follow up, and missing data rates, representativeness of participants and potential treatment effects. A researcher will record on paper all study procedure parameters. Quality of life (stoma-quality of life; Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, Short IBD questionnaire), fatigue (FACIT fatigue scale) and PA (accelerometer) will be measured pre- and post-intervention in patients. For IBD patients only, blood will be taken to measure systemic inflammation. 

Discussion: We hypothesise that a PA intervention will be an effective means of improving the quality of life of people with a stoma. Before embarking on a full randomised controlled trial to test this hypothesis, a PA intervention needs to be developed and a feasibility study of the proposed PA intervention conducted.

Original languageEnglish
Article number78
JournalPilot and Feasibility Studies
Volume5
Issue number1
Early online date17 Jun 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2019

Keywords

  • Bowel cancer
  • Colostomy
  • Ileostomy
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Physical activity
  • Quality of life
  • Stoma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A physical activity intervention to improve the quality of life of patients with a stoma: a feasibility study protocol'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this