Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study
(1) Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with severe toxicity resulting in fatigue and weight loss, including loss of skeletal muscle mass. Exercise interventions might positively affect physical fitness and quality of life. Sufficient adherence and compli...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Current Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/2/66 |
| _version_ | 1827343796765982720 |
|---|---|
| author | Annemieke Kok Ellen Passchier Anne M. May Harriët Jager-Wittenaar Cindy Veenhof Remco de Bree Martijn M. Stuiver Caroline M. Speksnijder |
| author_facet | Annemieke Kok Ellen Passchier Anne M. May Harriët Jager-Wittenaar Cindy Veenhof Remco de Bree Martijn M. Stuiver Caroline M. Speksnijder |
| author_sort | Annemieke Kok |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with severe toxicity resulting in fatigue and weight loss, including loss of skeletal muscle mass. Exercise interventions might positively affect physical fitness and quality of life. Sufficient adherence and compliance rates are necessary for optimal effects. This study aimed to gain insight into expectations and experiences and factors influencing adherence, retention and compliance of HNC patients participating in exercise intervention during CRT. (2) Methods: Consecutive participants were invited for semi-structured interviews, conducted pre- and post-intervention. A deductive approach was used to identify themes and factors influencing adherence, retention and compliance. (3) Results: Thematic saturation was reached after interviewing 14 patients pre-intervention. Five themes were identified: planning and time management, treatment toxicity, motivation to exercise, exercise intervention and supervision by a physiotherapist. The intensity of the treatment schedule and treatment toxicity were important barriers. Facilitators mentioned were physical and emotional benefits, social support as well as the simplicity and home-based setting of the intervention. (4) Conclusions: A personalised approach, considering the individual facilitators and barriers of HNC patients, is important to increase adherence, retention and compliance to exercise intervention and to reap the optimal effects of the program. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:36:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5863d4551ece4be4b934960c26dac36d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:36:29Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5863d4551ece4be4b934960c26dac36d2024-02-23T15:13:25ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292024-02-0131288589910.3390/curroncol31020066Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative StudyAnnemieke Kok0Ellen Passchier1Anne M. May2Harriët Jager-Wittenaar3Cindy Veenhof4Remco de Bree5Martijn M. Stuiver6Caroline M. Speksnijder7Department of Dietetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology and Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The NetherlandsJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy Science and Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology and Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands(1) Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with severe toxicity resulting in fatigue and weight loss, including loss of skeletal muscle mass. Exercise interventions might positively affect physical fitness and quality of life. Sufficient adherence and compliance rates are necessary for optimal effects. This study aimed to gain insight into expectations and experiences and factors influencing adherence, retention and compliance of HNC patients participating in exercise intervention during CRT. (2) Methods: Consecutive participants were invited for semi-structured interviews, conducted pre- and post-intervention. A deductive approach was used to identify themes and factors influencing adherence, retention and compliance. (3) Results: Thematic saturation was reached after interviewing 14 patients pre-intervention. Five themes were identified: planning and time management, treatment toxicity, motivation to exercise, exercise intervention and supervision by a physiotherapist. The intensity of the treatment schedule and treatment toxicity were important barriers. Facilitators mentioned were physical and emotional benefits, social support as well as the simplicity and home-based setting of the intervention. (4) Conclusions: A personalised approach, considering the individual facilitators and barriers of HNC patients, is important to increase adherence, retention and compliance to exercise intervention and to reap the optimal effects of the program.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/2/66head and neck cancerexercisepreferenceexperienceadherencecompliance |
| spellingShingle | Annemieke Kok Ellen Passchier Anne M. May Harriët Jager-Wittenaar Cindy Veenhof Remco de Bree Martijn M. Stuiver Caroline M. Speksnijder Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study Current Oncology head and neck cancer exercise preference experience adherence compliance |
| title | Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Expectations and Experiences of Participating in a Supervised and Home-Based Physical Exercise Intervention in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy: A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | expectations and experiences of participating in a supervised and home based physical exercise intervention in patients with head and neck cancer during chemoradiotherapy a qualitative study |
| topic | head and neck cancer exercise preference experience adherence compliance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/2/66 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annemiekekok expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT ellenpasschier expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT annemmay expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT harrietjagerwittenaar expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT cindyveenhof expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT remcodebree expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT martijnmstuiver expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy AT carolinemspeksnijder expectationsandexperiencesofparticipatinginasupervisedandhomebasedphysicalexerciseinterventioninpatientswithheadandneckcancerduringchemoradiotherapyaqualitativestudy |