Breathe with the Waves (BWW)—Creating and Assessing the Potential of a New Stress Management Intervention for Oncology Personnel
Lauren Deckelbaum, Nikita Guarascio, Marie-Pierre Bastien, Anik Cloutier, Maria Kondyli, Marie-Paule Latour, Émélie Rondeau, Serge Sultan
Current Oncology November 26, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol32110632 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed-methods exploratory study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Oncology healthcare professionals in Canada |
| Intervention | Breathe with the Waves (BWW) |
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Keywords | Oncology Healthcare provider Stress management Intervention |
| Key points | Oncology professionals rated the online breathing-based program Breathe with the Waves as highly acceptable, satisfactory, and relevant, and reported stress reduction, improved work performance, and increased mindfulness, alongside anticipated and experienced challenges. The authors propose it as a promising, accessible approach to supporting oncology personnel well-being and outline potential outcome measures for future studies. |
Abstract
Healthcare providers in oncology experience exceptionally high stress rates. Research emphasizes that stress management programs must be quick to implement, flexible to accommodate demanding schedules, cost-effective, accessible to all staff, and tailored to the needs of oncology personnel. Programs that fail to meet these criteria often struggle with uptake and sustainability. This mixed-methods exploratory study aimed (1) to design an online stress management program, Breathe with the Waves (BWW), based on breathing techniques; (2) to evaluate its acceptability, satisfaction, and relevance; (3) to identify perceived benefits and challenges; and (4) to generate potential outcome measures for future studies. A team of Canadian researchers and end-users co-designed the intervention. Twenty oncology professionals completed BWW, which featured pre-recorded breathing videos, and provided feedback via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. We used t-tests and Wilcoxon rank tests to analyze quantitative data, and template analysis for qualitative data. Participants found BWW highly acceptable, satisfactory, and relevant. Participants reported three categories of benefits: stress reduction, improved work performance, and increased mindfulness. Challenges included anticipated challenges and experienced challenges. Potential outcome measures fell into six categories: physical health, mental health, relational, work, mindfulness and personal practice. BWW, available in English and French, represents a promising and accessible approach to supporting the well-being of oncology personnel.