The Effect of a Bioenergy Economy-based Program on the Wellbeing of Patients with Breast Cancer

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women, with various complications and morbidities due to treatment modalities. Most patients suffer from psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, poor quality of life, and sleep. Bioenergy Economy (BEE)-based program is an integrative mind-body care model that targets the development of individuals' well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the BEE program on the four factors of depression, anxiety, quality of life, and sleep quality in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: This study was a clinical trial on 20 patients with the stage I-III of breast cancer who were referred to an oncologist in Isfahan, Iran. The candidates were selected by the convenience sampling method and the BEE protocol was done for all of the patients in 8 sessions. Depression, anxiety, quality of life, and sleep quality of the patients were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires, respectively. The trial had no control group. All assessments were done in 3-time courses consisting of before the intervention, immediately after, and one year after the intervention.

Results: This study evaluated 20 patients with breast cancer. The mean score of depression and anxiety significantly decreased immediately after the intervention and then significantly increased in a 1-year follow-up (P = 0.003 and P = 0.014, respectively, for depression and P = 0.006 and P = 0.003, respectively, for anxiety). Evaluating the quality of life in different 8 subscales showed significant changes in subscales of physical functioning and social role functioning immediately after the intervention and in the 1-year follow-up in comparison with the pre-test (P = 0.007 and P = 0.005, respectively). The mean score of sleep quality was increased immediately after the intervention and also during the 1-year follow-up.

Conclusion: The BEE program can be considered a psycho-oncology intervention in patients with breast cancer, alongside their conventional treatments. The findings suggest that for the sustained mental health of patients with cancer, a continuous BEE practice might be demanded.