Impact of an Animation Education Program on Promoting Compliance With Active Respiratory Rehabilitation in Postsurgical Lung Cancer Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer. Lung resection is proven to be the most effective curative treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (stages I-IIIA). Studies show evidence-based pulmonary rehabilitation is critical for improving exercise capacity and pulmonary function, reducing burden of cancer-related symptoms, and facilitating quality of life following a lung resection. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of an animation education program to promote respiratory rehabilitation outcomes for postsurgical lung cancer patients. INTERVENTIONS/METHODS: Eighty lung cancer patients who had undergone lung resection were equally randomized to 2 groups with 40 participants in each group. The intervention group received animation education. The control group received traditional face-to-face education. The training-related knowledge and exercise compliance were evaluated at baseline, 3 days after education, and the day of discharge, along with related pulmonary functional indicators. RESULTS: Eighty of 99 eligible participants were enrolled (80.8%). Mean scores of training-related knowledge and exercise compliance in the intervention group were higher than those of the control group. Occurrences of postoperative pulmonary complications and the indwelling time of thoracic drainage tube were lower, and 6-minute walk distance was longer compared with the control group. No statistical differences in other pulmonary functional indicators were found. CONCLUSIONS: Educational animation is effective for promoting training-related knowledge and exercise compliance with active respiratory rehabilitation in postsurgical lung cancer patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Oncology nurses can implement animation as an innovative educational method for improving cancer patients' uptake and compliance on health education.