Development and Initial Evaluation of a Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Mental Health and Quality of Life Among Prostate Cancer Survivors

Mental health issues affect a third of prostate cancer (PCa) survivors. Here, we describe the development and preliminary evaluation of a unique multifaceted intervention, the Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP), designed to improve mental health and quality of life among survivors. The 28-day pilot PC-PEP Intervention was developed following the engagement of patients, survivors, caregivers and health care professionals In identifying survivorship needs and well-being resources for improved mental health. The pilot intervention was implemented with a group of 30 PCa survivors in Halifax, Canada. Measures collected over the 28-day program included psychological distress and physical health indicators, as well as program compliance. Participation in PC-PEP resulted in significant improvement in measures of mental and physical health over the 28-day program. Very good to excellent compliance with all five components of PC-PEP was observed. This evaluation provides strong initial support for a multifaceted program to improve mental health outcomes in prostate cancer survivors.