Exercise Pattern and Attitude in Lung Cancer Patients – An Exploratory Study

• Main Authors: LI, YI-CHEN, 李怡真
• Other Authors: HUANG, WEN- CHING
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/c8u76c

碩士 === 國立臺北護理健康大學 === 運動保健研究所 === 107 === Cancer is the top one of the ten leading causes of death in Taiwan, and among the cancers, lung cancer is ranked first as to occurrence and mortality. With little discomforts in the initial stage, lung cancer is usually detected in end stage presenting with metastases. After treatment such as operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients suffering from lung cancer experience decline of lung function and cancer-related fatigue making them intolerant of exercise. According to the literature, exsecise play an improtant role in immunity, cancer-related fatigue, and cachexia in breast cancer patients. However, research on exercise in lung cancer patients is relatively rare, and suggested exercise prescription is yet to be established. An exploratory study was carried out to investigate the overall exercise attitudes and patterns in lung cancer patients. In regard of study design, the method of cross-sectional observation was employed with an emphasis on self-report of the participants. With reference to questionnaires acquired in past literature, we developed a tailored questionnaire for this research. Lung cancer patients visiting the chest clinic at a hospital from August to September 2018 were enrolled in this study. Each participant was asked to fill out the questionnaire without revealing their names. From the questionnaires returned, the participants with regular exercise were further selected to receive a 15-minute in-depth interview. Fifty-two effective questionnaires were returned. We found that most patients exercised regularly before their suffering from lung cancer. With respect to the exercise patterns, a large majotiry had a range of mild activity and five times or more per week of exercise accounted for 42.3%, and three times per week 71.1%. In the in-depth interview, we found that for those who were in a habit of exercising regularly, they considered that exercise would increase the physical strength and improve lung functions. They were willing to follow the doctors’ advises to start exercise which would restore their lung functions after surgery such as walking, eight brocades and taichi chuan. In the participants without regular exercise, they would agree to adjust the exercise patterns or start to exercise to strengthen their bodies and lung functions. However, some participants would not exercise because of old ages, degeneration and injuries in their knees. Future quantitative research is suggested. The data of lung functions gathered in both exercising and reference groups could help the medical personnel establish the suggested exercise standards for lung cancer patients. Eight brocades and taichi chuan are mild exercises and are suitable for those patients with old ages and degenerative osteoarthritis. With an exercise program, lung cancer patients would be more willing to and capable of engaging in the appropriate exercise. This would ensure their improvement in life quality and survival.