Factors influencing physical activity participation among people living with or beyond cancer: a systematic scoping review

Abstract

Background It has been posited that physical activity (PA) has the potential to improve health outcomes and the health-related quality of life of people living with or beyond cancer. Despite the well-documented health benefits of PA, there is a low level of PA among cancer patients. A systematic scoping review was conducted to investigate attitudes, perceptions, preferences and barriers vs. facilitators to cancer patients’ PA participation. Methods A systematic search was performed across four automated databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Medline) in keeping with the PRISMA guideline. All cancer types were included, and any age/gender groups were eligible. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included. The Health Belief Model provided a conceptual framework for the conduct of the scoping review as well as guiding thinking to inform evidence-based interventions. Results Ninety-eight articles were included in this review. Nearly half of the studies focused on mixed cancer sites; breast cancer was the most commonly examined cancer type (19%). Post-treatment was the most commonly investigated stage (33%), followed by studies of mixed stages of the cancer trajectory (27%), the acute treatment stage (23%) and pre-treatment stage (1%). Patient treatment stage was not reported in 16% of studies. Cancer patients reported positive attitudes to PA and recognized its benefits for health and wellbeing. Cancer-related side effects (e.g. fatigue) were a leading physiological barrier to PA participation, whereas effective symptom management techniques/tools acted as a powerful facilitator. Psychosocial barriers included low motivation and kinesiophobia, and perceived health benefits and social support/guidance by healthcare providers were significant facilitators. Inaccessible fitness facilities hindered cancer patients’ PA engagement though the availability of tailored amenities appeared to be a strong facilitator. PA preferences varied in terms of type, place, time, company and source of information and pointed to the need for individualized PA programs. Conclusions There is a need for further research to identify barriers and facilitators to PA that are faced by patients with particular cancer types. Recommended PA promoting-strategies involve including exercise science professionals in healthcare teams and ensuring that fitness facilities are accessible.

A Systematic Review of the Safety, Feasibility and Benefits of Exercise for Patients with Advanced Cancer

“…It is already well known that staying physically active during cancer treatment is a common challenge and sedentary behavior is present in a high proportion of patients [54]. There are several factors inhibiting patients from participating in exercise activities, even if patients consider exercise to be helpful for physical or psychosocial aspects [55,56]. Barriers to exercise are symptoms and treatment side effects, medical complications, comorbidities, confusion about the capability of exercise, and distance to study sites [57][58][59].…”

Effect of self-regulatory behaviour change techniques and predictors of physical activity maintenance in cancer survivors: a 12-month follow-up of the Phys-Can RCT

“…Similarly, results from previous studies show a decrease of PA levels following the completion of structured exercise interventions that offered supervised exercise [ 18 , 21 , 22 , 24 ]. Besides treatment side-effects, barriers to exercise such as limited access to gym facilities, costs and lack of time are often reported in cancer survivors [ 48 ] and could explain the low maintenance levels post-intervention in our study. Therefore, providing participants at the end of exercise interventions with a more individually tailored prescription of resistance training, based on their preferences and needs, could be an adequate alternative to improve long-term PA maintenance of resistance training.…”

Enriched Environment Cues Suggest a New Strategy to Counteract Glioma: Engineered rAAV2-IL-15 Microglia Modulate the Tumor Microenvironment

“…In humans, the notion that environmental stimuli can affect cancer progression has long been suspected (36). Clinical and epidemiological studies have recognized that specific psychosocial factors such as stress, chronic depression, eustress, and social support can affect the development and progression of cancer (37)(38)(39). Unfortunately, to date, despite the relevance of the issue, the translation of the environmental stimuli to pharmacological therapy for cancer patients is far to be reached.…”