Pilot study of the DeStress for Health Program: a community-engaged stress reduction and cancer prevention...

Stress related to personal, social, and environmental factors has been linked to engaging in unhealthy behaviors. These behaviors may increase cancer risk. Most current prevention programs do not address stress related to social factors and related stresses that are driving unhealthy behaviors. The purpose of this study was to pilot the DeStress for Heath Program.

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial. Community members from two rural counties were randomized to the DeStress for Health Program group or a waitlist control group. The DeStress for Health Program, developed using a community engaged approach, is a 4-class, in-person, nurse delivered evidenced-based intervention that uses both positive psychology and health behaviour goal setting to address stress reduction and cancer risk behaviours. We offered the program to the waitlist control group after completion of all assessments. Self-report surveys were completed at baseline and 30 days post-intervention in the DeStress arm to assess feasibility and acceptability and 30 days post 4-week wait time in the control. Study outcomes for feasibility included recruitment, retention, and engagement, and acceptability included positive endorsement of the intervention and changes in stress and health behaviours.

We recruited 29 participants in 6 months, missing our feasibility recruitment benchmark. We did not meet our feasibility benchmark of having 75% of participants attend all 4 classes, with 69% of residents attended at least 2 classes. We retained 21 of 29 (72%) participants at follow-up. Acceptability results include the DeStress group reported that the intervention reduced daily stress (n = 13, 81.3%), helped encourage better nutrition (n = 15, 93.8%) and physical activity (n = 15, 93.8%), and would recommend the program to a friend (n = 15, 93.8%). DeStress improved scores on the Perceived Stress Scale over time compared to the waitlist control.

The DeStress intervention is acceptable and demonstrates improvements in stress. Feasibility benchmarks were not all met, and suggestions for future adaptations to improve feasibility are discussed. DeStress underscores the importance of developing programs that address real community needs and linking intervention programs with community resources, particularly in rural communities where health-related resources can be scarce.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03776890.