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.