Journal
CURRENT ONCOLOGY
Volume 29, Issue 8, Pages 5942-5954Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29080469
Keywords
head and neck cancer; exercise oncology; prehabilitation; patient-oriented research; cancer survivorship; qualitative research
Categories
Funding
- Ohlson Research Initiative, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
- Alberta Innovates Health Solutions graduate studentship
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This study gathered feedback from HNC surgical patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) on implementing exercise into the standard care pathway. The findings highlight the value of exercise in improving patient outcomes and have informed the implementation of a multiphasic exercise prehabilitation trial in HNC surgical patients.
Head and neck cancer (HNC) surgical patients experience a high symptom burden. Multiphasic exercise prehabilitation has the potential to improve patient outcomes, and to implement it into the care pathway, the perspectives of patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) must be considered. The purpose of this study was thus to gather feedback from HNC surgical patients and HCPs on building exercise into the standard HNC surgical care pathway. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and HCPs as part of a feasibility study assessing patient-reported outcomes, physical function, and in-hospital mobilization. Interview questions included satisfaction with study recruitment, assessment completion, impact on clinical workflow (HCPs), and perceptions of a future multiphasic exercise prehabilitation program. This study followed an interpretive description methodology. Results: Ten patients and ten HCPs participated in this study. Four themes were identified: (1) acceptability and necessity of assessments, (2) the value of exercise, (3) the components of an ideal exercise program, and (4) factors to support implementation. Conclusion: These findings highlight the value of exercise across the HNC surgical timeline from both the patient and the HCP perspective. Results have informed the implementation of a multiphasic exercise prehabilitation trial in HNC surgical patients.
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