Energy management education and occupation-related outcomes in adults with chronic diseases: A scoping review

Fatigue is a pervasive symptom of chronic disease that often interferes with occupational performance. Our objective was to describe what is known about energy management education and occupation-related outcomes in adults with chronic diseases.

Seven electronic databases were searched for relevant literature published before August 2019. Eligible articles were full-text, available in English, and studied energy management education in adults with a chronic disease. The first author assessed article eligibility with validation from a second reviewer, extracted characteristics of included studies, and described them using descriptive statistics. A narrative synthesis of findings was conducted for each chronic disease population.

Forty-four studies addressed eight different chronic disease populations. The most common program delivery format was face-to-face in a group setting (42%), 39% of programs were informed by a learning theory, and their median cumulative length was 8 hours. Positive outcomes were associated with a specific, group-based energy management program in people with multiple sclerosis. The evidence on other energy management programs and in other chronic disease populations was more limited and inconclusive.

Further research is needed to understand the impact of energy management education in chronic disease populations beyond multiple sclerosis, and its impact on occupational performance.