Abstract
Effects of an Integrative Day Care Clinic Program with a Focus on Nature Therapy in a Hospital Park Setting on Quality of Life in Oncological Patients-A Non-Randomized Controlled Study
by Michael Jeitler1,2, Christian S. Kessler1,2, Farid I Kandil1, Christel von Scheidt2, Meline Meinköhn1, Barbara Koch2, Manfred Wischnewsky1, Andreas Michalsen1,2 and Lisa Kuballa1
1Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin,Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
2Department of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin,14109 Berlin, Germany
3Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
Cite as: Jeitler et al. (2024). Effects of an Integrative Day Care Clinic Program with a Focus on Nature Therapy in a Hospital Park Setting on Quality of Life in Oncological Patients-A Non-Randomized Controlled Study. THE MIND Bulletin on Mind-Body Medicine Research, 3, 22-23. https://doi.org/10.61936/themind/2024121218
Cancer often causes long-term physical and psychological impairments. Lifestyle modification and nature-based interventions (NBIs) can have a positive impact on patients' quality of life (QOL). This participants-blinded, non-randomized controlled study assessed parameters at weeks 0, 12, and 24, including, as a primary endpoint, QOL in cancer patients on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) at week 12. QOL in breast cancer patients, fatigue, well-being, stress, anxiety/depression, socio-psychological well-being, benefits of nature interaction, insomnia, self-efficacy, mindfulness, and self-compassion were assessed as secondary endpoints. N = 107 cancer patients (96.3% women; 52.5 ± 9.3
years, 80.4% breast cancer) were assigned to either a 12-week nature-based (NDC; n = 56) or conventional (DC; n = 51) oncology day care clinic program, whereby the assignment group was not known to the participants. There was no significant group difference for the primary endpoint. At week 24, QOL, fatigue, mindfulness and self-compassion scores were significantly higher, and at weeks 12 and 24, the insomnia score was significantly lower in NDC compared to DC. In conclusion, this study indicates positive and clinically relevant effects of the program on QOL, fatigue, and psychological parameters. NBIs seem to have a more pronounced effect.
Keywords: MICOM; Mind–body Medicine; cancer; day care; integrative medicine; lifestyle; meditation; mindfulness; nature; oncology