The Relationship between Activity Level and Fatigue in Indonesian Children with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in the Home Setting

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have examined physical exercise as a way to lower the fatigue of children with cancer in a hospital setting, but there have been no such studies in a home setting. Therefore, this study identifies the relationship between physical activity and fatigue in children undergoing chemotherapy at home. The design of this study is a cross-sectional correlation analysis. Forty-five children aged 3–16 years with acute lymphocytic leukemia residing in the greater Jakarta area in Indonesia were recruited using consecutive and snowball sampling methods. The relationship between physical activity and level of fatigue was assessed using the Spearman test. A statistically significant relationship was found between physical activity and fatigue in the children studied (p < 0.001). The active children had lower fatigue than the less active children. This study finds that higher physical activity is associated with lower fatigue in children with leukemia in a home setting. Nurses should educate children and their parents to promote physical activities at home in-between chemotherapy cycles.

KEYWORDS:

• Activity
• acute lymphocytic leukaemia
• children
• fatigue
• home

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all the children with cancer and their parents who took part in this study.

Conflict of Interest

No conflict of interest is declared.

Additional information

Funding

Thanks are given to the Directorate of Research and Community Engagement at the University of Indonesia for financial support for this publication (PITTA grant [No.5000/UN2.R3.1/HKP.05.00/2018])