Chronic Pain and Disabilities in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer

As stated in the abstract of an article in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, a journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, “Approximately 40% of childhood cancer survivors experience chronic pain, with many also reporting pain-related disability. Given associations established in the general population among respiration, anxiety, and pain, continuous tracking and feedback of respiration may help survivors manage pain.” The article detailed potential use of a wearable respiration monitor and daily in-application breathing exercises for a month.

Participants wore the monitor which measured three types of breathing: calm (slower); tense (more rapid or erratic), or focused (normal breathing). If breathing became tense, device wearers received alerts to adjust their breathing. During the trial, over 80% of the cancer survivors wore the device daily; over 85% reported satisfaction with the device and app. Findings concluded that “wearable respiratory monitoring and feedback may be accessible and helpful interventions for chronic pain and associated mental health late effects among survivors of childhood cancer.”

 

Read the journal article.

Other Categories:

• opioid use disorder (OUD)

• substance use disorder (SUD)

• wearable technology