Abstract
Aim: The present scoping review aims to provide an overview of barriers to PA reported by pediatric cancer patients undergoing treatment as well as after treatment. This study further aims to describe and discuss the instruments used for assessing barriers in this population. Methods: Article search was performed in common medical databases and yielded five original research articles. Results: The included articles reported barriers to PA that can be grouped into the following categories: individuals, physical, environmental, and treatment. Among the instruments used to assess barriers to PA, it was observed that questionnaires and interviews are commonly adopted. This review underscores a paucity of studies in this area. Conclusion: A comprehensive understanding of barriers to PA in the pediatric cancer population is paramount for the development of tailored strategies and interventions aiming to promote PA in this under-researched group. In addition, future studies must adopt a mixed-methods approach, longitudinal design with specific instruments in the pediatric cancer population.
Highlights
Pediatric cancer is characterized by a set of rare neoplasms, with moderate incidence[1] and a high risk of mortality[2]
There is evidence suggesting that insufficient amounts of physical activity (PA) is an independent risk factor[] both for cancer onset as well as for other conditions after treatment, such as for overweight, obesity[6], cardiovascular diseases[7], and musculoskeletal deficits[8]
Despite the well-known physical[9] and psychosocial[10] benefits associated with regular PA a significant portion of pediatric cancer patients (i.e., 4-19 years) undergoing treatment and/or cancer survivors do not reach the current recommendations of PA and are less active than their peers without the disease[11,12]
Summary
Pediatric cancer is characterized by a set of rare neoplasms, with moderate incidence[1] and a high risk of mortality[2]. There is evidence suggesting that insufficient amounts of physical activity (PA) (i.e., less than 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA daily) is an independent risk factor[] both for cancer onset as well as for other conditions after treatment, such as for overweight, obesity[6], cardiovascular diseases[7], and musculoskeletal deficits[8]. Despite the well-known physical[9] and psychosocial[10] benefits associated with regular PA a significant portion of pediatric cancer patients (i.e., 4-19 years) undergoing treatment and/or cancer survivors do not reach the current recommendations of PA and are less active than their peers without the disease[11,12]. Such factors are known to be complex and multifactorial in nature[13]. A large array of barriers has been reported to be associated with reduced amounts of PA in pediatric cancer patients, including but not limited to fatigue, risk of infection, pain, low self-esteem, lack of time, poor school performance, and lack of medical advice on PA for adolescents and family members[14]
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