Abstract
Exercise is an important therapy to improve well-being after a cancer diagnosis. Accordingly, cancer-exercise programs have been developed to enhance clinical care; however, few programs exist in Canada. Expansion of cancer-exercise programming depends on an understanding of the process of program implementation, as well as enablers and barriers to program success. Gaining knowledge from current professionals in cancer-exercise programs could serve to facilitate the necessary understanding. Key personnel from Canadian cancer-exercise programs (n = 14) participated in semistructured interviews about program development and delivery. Content analysis revealed 13 categories and 15 subcategories, which were grouped by three organizing domains: Program Implementation, Program Enablers, and Program Barriers. ■ Program Implementation (5 categories, 8 subcategories) included Program Initiation (clinical care extension, research project expansion, program champion), Funding, Participant Intake (avenues of awareness, health and safety assessment), Active Programming (monitoring patient exercise progress, health care practitioner involvement, program composition), and Discharge and Follow-up Plan.■ Program Enablers (4 categories, 4 subcategories) included Patient Participation (personalized care, supportive network, personal control, awareness of benefits), Partnerships, Advocacy and Support, and Program Characteristics.■ Program Barriers (4 categories, 3 subcategories) included Lack of Funding, Lack of Physician Support, Deterrents to Participation (fear and shame, program location, competing interests), and Disease Progression and Treatment. Interview results provided insight into the development and delivery of cancer-exercise programs in Canada and could be used to guide future program development and expansion in Canada.
Highlights
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada[1]
Exercise has been widely investigated as a strategy to mitigate the deterioration of overall well-being during cancer treatment and to facilitate recovery from the disease and its treatment-related sequelae[8]
After completion of the interviews, it was determined that 2 participants represented the same cex program and their interview data were combined
Summary
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada[1]. Advances in screening and treatment since the early 2000s have improved survival outcomes[1] and are contributing to a growing number of cancer survivors. Many individuals live with acute and chronic adverse effects of cancer and associated therapies[2,3]. Exercise has been widely investigated as a strategy to mitigate the deterioration of overall well-being during cancer treatment and to facilitate recovery from the disease and its treatment-related sequelae[8]. Exercise is an important therapy to improve well-being after a cancer diagnosis. Gaining knowledge from current professionals in cancer-exercise programs could serve to facilitate the necessary understanding
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