SABRİYE ERCAN, AHSEN OĞUL, MURAT KOÇER, ESMA ARSLAN, FERDİ BAŞKURT, CEM ÇETİN
Experimental and Applied Medical Science - 2020;1(3):89-99
The aim of this study was to compare the level of fatigue and physical activity attitudes between breast cancer patients and healthy individuals. The study included female patients diagnosed with breast cancer (GroupCa) and healthy women (GroupControl). In the questionnaire form prepared by the researchers; sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, information such as smoking and comorbid diseases were questioned. In patients diagnosed with breast cancer, information on the diagnosis of breast cancer had been detailed. "International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form", "Exercise Stages of Change Questionnaire " and "Brief Fatigue Inventory” were applied to all participants. The study included 57 women (age: 51.7 ± 9.1 years) diagnosed with breast cancer and 58 healthy (age: 52.7±10.4 years) women not diagnosed with cancer (p=0.58). No difference was found between the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics excluding education (p>0.05). The difference between the education levels of the groups was determined at the level of primary education (GroupCa: 73.7% (n=42) versus GroupControl: 51.7% (n=30), p=0.04). There was no difference between the groups in terms of physical activity levels (GroupCa: 696.2±846.2 MET/week versus GroupControl: 482.5 ±655.4 MET/week, p=0.13). In the exercise stages of change questionnaire, it was determined that women diagnosed with breast cancer were found to be more in the ’precontemplation’ and ’preparation’ stages than women in the control group (p=0.004). Women in the breast cancer group stated that they felt fatigue/weakness that made a significant difference with the control group (p=0.001). However, according to the Brief Fatigue Inventory, it was observed that the effects of fatigue, severity and fatigue on daily life did not make any difference between the groups (p>0.05). In this study, no difference was found between the activity level and fatigue level in breast cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. When the physical activity behaviours were evaluated, it was determined that the breast cancer group had more precontemplation and preparation in exercise stages.
