Co-designing a behavioural intervention for reducing the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms: An evidence- and theory-driven approach.

Objective: This study aims to co-design an evidence- and theory-based behavioural intervention to reduce the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) symptoms on patients' quality of life.

Methods: Guided by the Medical Research Council Framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions, our intervention development process was guided by (a) findings of systematic reviews, (b) inductive analysis of 39 h of observational fieldwork, 12 patient and 11 clinician interviews, (c) deductive analysis using the Common-Sense Model to develop a Self-Regulation Model of CIPN and (d) 17 patients and 18 clinicians co-designing the intervention.

Results: CIPN perception and coping behaviours were highlighted as processes to target when co-designing an intervention. The processes targeted in our intervention are CIPN perception and coping behaviours, namely, (a) self-monitoring of symptoms, (b) communicating and early reporting of symptoms to clinicians, (c) participating in making chemotherapy dose reduction decisions with their clinicians and (d) engaging in self-management and safety strategies to reduce impact of CIPN symptoms. To address these, a behavioural intervention was deemed suitable.

Conclusion: We developed a self-regulation model of CIPN and a logic model for documenting the proposed mechanism of action of our co-designed behavioural intervention for reducing impact of CIPN symptoms.