Effectiveness of self-management program for gastric cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial comparing gain vs. loss message framing

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-management program using gain/loss-framed messages in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 69 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy at a university hospital were assigned to the gain- or loss-framed message group. The self-management program consisted of: 1) face-to-face education, 2) gain/loss-framed text messages, and 3) self-monitoring of health behaviors. Health outcomes (i.e., nutritional status, physical activity, exercise intensity, and distress), and health behaviors (i.e., dietary habits, physical activity performance, and distress management) were measured, and a generalized estimating equation was used for the analysis. Results: Nutritional status and dietary habits in the loss framed message group were statistically higher after the intervention compared to the counterpart (β = −1.72, p = .049; β = 0.36, p = .033, respectively). There was no time-group interaction effect on physical activity, exercise intensity, physical activity performance, distress or distress management. Conclusions: A self-management program employing loss-framed messages was effective in promoting nutrition-related self-management among patients with gastric cancer. Practice implications: Message-framing is an effective communication technique that can be easily used in clinical settings, and a loss-message-framing strategy may enhance nutrition-related self-management in patients with gastric cancer.