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Introduction: Integrative oncology combines evidence-based methods of oncological therapy, supportive medicine, nutrition and physical activity as well as complementary medicine and can significantly improve the effectiveness of therapy and the quality of life for cancer patients. However, scientifically based continuing education in this area has so far rarely been available.Project outline: The part-time continuing education program in “Integrative Onkologie” at the University of Jena is the first in Germany to offer scientifically based training for various healthcare professions. The focus lies on evidence-based content regarding the diagnosis, therapy, prevention and survivorship of cancer from the fields of complementary medicine, sport and nutrition. The course comprises 3 semesters of distance learning with one attendance weekend in Jena and concludes with a Master’s thesis (M.Sc.). All healthcare professionals with a first university degree in medicine or health sciences and at least one year of professional experience are eligible for admission. The development of the study program was supported by surveys and statements from students and experts.Results: A demand survey of students (N=128) and statements (N=15) from healthcare professionals show that the course closes a gap in education and training. The course was seen as an attractive and suitable alternative to subject-specific consecutive Master's courses. Its interdisciplinary focus and its high relevance with regard to improvements in healthcare were rated particularly positive. From the students’ point of view, the topics of nutrition and physical activity were seen as particularly interesting, while the expert’s statements emphasized the need for evidence-based discussion, especially in the field of complementary medicine. Discussion: The course fills an important gap and provides evidence-based further training in integrative oncology. The presented conditions are rated as appropriate and the extended professional options and improvement of care in everyday practice are emphasized. The course was approved in April 2023 and has already started with the first cohort in the winter semester 2023 (October).Conclusion: The postgraduate course in integrative oncology at the University of Jena offers thorough training for healthcare professionals and fulfills the requirements for continuing education programs. It can therefore make a significant contribution to medical consultation needs and improving care in oncology and enable a faster path to specialized continuing education for many specialties.

Summary: Sleep disorders are prevalent among patients with cancer and their caregivers as well, affecting their quality of life. But the relationship between sleep quality, dream experiences, and life satisfaction in patients with cancer and their partners is understudied. The present research aimed to quantitatively investigate the dream experiences of oncology patients and explore the interdependence between patients and their partners in terms of dream experiences and life satisfaction. Therefore, a cross‐sectional study was conducted with 101 dyads, completing a questionnaire assessing demographic and illness‐related data, dream experiences, sleep quality, and life satisfaction. Inferential statistical tests and actor–partner interdependence models were used to analyse the data. Both patients with cancer and their partners reported on average a significant decrease in sleep quality since the cancer diagnosis and for both dyad members significant dreaming predictors for life satisfaction were found. Namely, a positive association for dream stability in patients, and a positive association for positive dream affect as well as a negative association for negative dream affect in partners. Regarding the question of interdependence, dream intensity exhibited a significant group‐specific partner effect, but no overall partner effect, leading to inconclusive results that call for more studies in this field. The study suggests that dreaming may affect life satisfaction beyond sleep quality and underscores the significance of acknowledging dream experiences as potential influencers of quality of life in patients with cancer. Additionally, the study stands out for its examination of the role of partners in dyadic dependency, emphasising the importance of understanding their influence on patients' experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reports on the validation of a new instrument for the assessment of emotional experiences in dreams. The Jena Dream Inventory–Affect (JeDI-A) contains 21 items and 3 scales, positive dream affect, negative dream affect, and dream intensity, providing a differentiated yet economic assessment of dream affect. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in a sample of university students (N = 426) and a clinical sample of patients with sleep disorders (N = 149) supported factorial validity and measurement invariance, high temporal stability (over 1 year and 9 months in the students and patients, respectively), convergent and discriminant validity regarding established measures of dream affect and the Big Five, and criterion validity regarding subjective well-being. Cross-lagged panel models showed reciprocal longitudinal effects between dream affect and waking affect. We conclude that the JeDI-A is a valid instrument for differentiated investigations of individual differences in dream affect in clinical and nonclinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]