Marthe Van Overbeke
doctoral fellow
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, MOVANT research group, Univ. of Antwerp.
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University.
Principal investigator: prof. Geert Crombez (PhD)
Research focus
Our research investigates the effectiveness of an eHealth self-management intervention designed for individuals experiencing persistent pain following breast cancer treatment. In addition to evaluating clinical effectiveness, we are conducting a comprehensive process evaluation. This includes examining implementation fidelity (the extent to which the intervention is delivered as intended), identifying contextual factors that influence implementation fidelity, and assessing its potential for broader scalability in real-world settings.
For my doctoral research, a specific component focuses on 24-hour movement behaviour, encompassing physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, in this population. Using accelerometry data, we aim to explore how these movement patterns are associated with outcomes such as pain, fatigue, and overall well-being.
Key publications
- ‘Study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in Belgian primary care and hospital settings on the effectiveness of an eHealth self-management support programme consisting of pain education and coaching of activity needs in breast cancer survivors with persistent pain: the PECAN trial’ BMJ Open, 2025 (PMID: 40846340)
- ‘Pain-related variables as contributing factors to physical activity after breast cancer surgery: a one-year follow-up study’ Journal of behavioral medicine, 2025 (PMID: 41047438)