Effectiveness of an integrated adventure‐based training and health education program in promoting regular physical activity among childhood cancer survivors

Abstract

The integrated adventure-based training and health education program was found to be

Strategies to promote regular exercise in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors

“…[33][34][35][36][37][38][39] No adverse events or perceived risks were reported in any of the studies regardless of intervention timing or treatment status, suggesting that exercise interventions are safe and appropriate from a medical standpoint for this population.…”

“…Careful readings of the 22 full manuscripts further reduced the field to nine studies that met all inclusion criteria. [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] Of these studies, six included adolescent survivors, two addressed young adult survivors only, and one included both young adult and adolescent survivors. Interventions were heterogeneous across study design (nonrandomized, noncontrolled versus randomized, controlled trial), sample sizes (range =10-251), ages (range =3-39 years of age), diagnoses (acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], brain tumor, mixed diagnoses), and points of intervention (on-treatment, immediate postcompletion of treatment, long-term survivorship).…”

“…Four of the interventions also involved trained interventionists to ensure participant adherence with the intervention, including a mix of supervised instruction and unsupervised exercise sessions allowing adolescents to practice learned skills at home. 33,[35][36][37] Intervention duration varied from 4 days to 24 months with no apparent association between length of intervention and positive change in exercise outcomes. While initial gains were noted in five of the six interventions, only the 4-day adventure-based exercise-promoting intervention by Li et al demonstrated long-term success through the maintenance of exercise, self-efficacy, and quality-of-life gains at 9-month follow-up.…”

“…While initial gains were noted in five of the six interventions, only the 4-day adventure-based exercise-promoting intervention by Li et al demonstrated long-term success through the maintenance of exercise, self-efficacy, and quality-of-life gains at 9-month follow-up. 37 Of note, the one study that did not show improvements in exercise outcomes was comprised of a single psychosocial strategy, goal-setting, and, while activity was encouraged, strategies focused on active exercise engagement were not included. 38,39 Two interventions included young adult survivors.…”

“…[33][34][35][36][37] All of the interventions demonstrating benefits employed two or more psychosocial strategies, including in vivo exercise training, psychoeducation, goal-setting, self-monitoring, behavioral reinforcement, or social support. Four of the interventions also involved trained interventionists to ensure participant adherence with the intervention, including a mix of supervised instruction and unsupervised exercise sessions allowing adolescents to practice learned skills at home.…”