dc.contributor.author | MacDonald, Cody | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-15T18:37:23Z | |
dc.date.available | 2024-04-15T18:37:23Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2024-04-14 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10222/83900 | |
dc.description.abstract | Understanding how interventions reduce psychological distress in patients with prostate cancer (PC) is crucial for enhancing patient care. In a randomized controlled trial, 128 PC patients were assigned to either the 6-month Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) or a standard care control group. The PC-PEP focused on relaxation and stress management, healthy nutrition, exercise, pelvic floor muscle training, social support, and improving intimacy and relationships. Participants in PC-PEP experienced significant enhancements in self-efficacy and specific illness perceptions (personal control and emotional representations) compared to the control group. These factors mediated the relationship between the PC-PEP intervention and a reduction in psychological distress post-intervention, with self-efficacy explaining 52% of the reduction in psychological distress. No significant differences in heart rhythm coherence were observed. This study validates the critical role of self-efficacy and certain illness perceptions in facilitating psychological improvements in PC patients participating in the PC-PEP. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.subject | prostate cancer | en_US |
dc.subject | patient empowerment | en_US |
dc.subject | mental health | en_US |
dc.subject | self-efficacy | en_US |
dc.subject | illness perception | en_US |
dc.subject | heart rhythm coherence | en_US |
dc.subject | psychological distress | en_US |
dc.title | Examining the Mediators of Mental Health Improvement in Men with Localized Prostate Cancer: Self-Efficacy, Illness Perception, and Heart Rhythm Coherence in PC-PEP vs. Standard Care | en_US |
dc.date.defence | 2024-03-27 | |
dc.contributor.department | Department of Community Health & Epidemiology | en_US |
dc.contributor.degree | Master of Science | en_US |
dc.contributor.external-examiner | n/a | en_US |
dc.contributor.thesis-reader | Dr. George Kephart | en_US |
dc.contributor.thesis-reader | Dr. Robert Rutledge | en_US |
dc.contributor.thesis-supervisor | Dr. Gabriela Ilie | en_US |
dc.contributor.ethics-approval | Received | en_US |
dc.contributor.manuscripts | Not Applicable | en_US |
dc.contributor.copyright-release | Not Applicable | en_US |