Physical activity, confidence and quality of life among cancer patient-carer dyads
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 31, 2025

Measuring the Motor Aspect of Cancer-Related Fatigue using a Handheld Dynamometer
Published on: February 20, 2020
Siu-Man Ng1,2, Melody H Y Fung3, Jessie S M Chan4
1Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, 5/F, Jockey Club Tower, The Centennial Campus, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. ngsiuman@hku.hk.
Background:
Physical activity (PA) has been positively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among cancer patients and family caregivers. However, there has been no relevant research for patient-caregiver dyads.
Methods:
Path analysis, based on the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), was used to examine the relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life and explore the mediating role of emotional distress in 233 dyads.
Results:
In both patients and caregivers, physical activity had a direct positive effect on physical quality of life (QoL) but not on mental. There was a significant indirect effect of physical activity on health-related quality of life via emotional distress for both dyad members. Patients' and caregivers' confidence in fighting cancer was negatively associated with their own emotional distress. Caregivers' confidence in fighting cancer was positively associated with their physical activity and also negatively associated with patients' emotional distress.
Conclusions:
Physical activity may be considered as a possible behavioral and rehabilitation strategy for improving health-related quality of life in patient-caregiver dyads and reducing negative symptoms. Future research and intervention may consider cancer patient-family caregiver dyad as a unit of care.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
Cancer Survival Analysis
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...

