Effects of home-based walking program on fatigue in patients with cancer

Introduction: Cancer and its treatments lead to various complications such as fatigue, which is one of the most common and most annoying complications in patients with cancer. Extreme fatigue may have a significant impact on daily performance and quality of life. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the effects of home-based walking program on fatigue in patients with cancer in Ilam in 2018. Methodology: This was an experimental study, which was conducted on 95 patients with cancer; they were randomly assigned to two groups: A (visited on even days) and B (visited on odd days). The experimental group performed the home-based walking program 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The control group only performed its routine activities. The patients were followed up. The research tools included demographic information and Multi-dimensional Fatigue Questionnaire (MFI). The fatigue was measured at week 12th. The data was analyzed using independent and paired t-test and chi-square. Findings: After the intervention, the mean score of fatigue in the experimental group (35.52±5.68) was significantly lower than control group (84.68±7.96) (p<0.001). Besides, following the intervention, the mean score of fatigue in the experimental group (35.52±5.68) was significantly lower than before the intervention (84.28±7.17) (p<0.001). Conclusion: As a simple and low-cost exercise program, walking can reduce the fatigue in patients with cancer; it also plays an effective role in improving the health and rehabilitation of these patients. © 2019 Revista Latinoamericana de Hipertension. All rights reserved.