Diverse strategies are needed to support physical activity engagement in women who have had breast cancer

Farha Inam; Rebecca J Bergin; David Mizrahi; David W Dunstan; Melissa Moore; Natalie Maxwell-Davis; Linda Denehy; Brigid M Lynch; Christopher T V Swain

doi:10.1007/s00520-023-08113-7

Diverse strategies are needed to support physical activity engagement in women who have had breast cancer

Support Care Cancer. 2023 Oct 21;31(12):648. doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-08113-7.

Authors

Farha Inam¹, Rebecca J Bergin², David Mizrahi³, David W Dunstan^{4

5}, Melissa Moore⁶, Natalie Maxwell-Davis⁷, Linda Denehy^{8

9

10}, Brigid M Lynch^{2

5

11}, Christopher T V Swain^{12

13}

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Science Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
² Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
³ The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, a joint venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ Physical Activity Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ Medical Oncology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁷ , Melbourne, Australia.
⁸ Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
⁹ Health Services Research and Implementation Science, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
¹⁰ Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
¹² Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. christopher.swain@unimelb.edu.au.
¹³ Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. christopher.swain@unimelb.edu.au.

Abstract

Purpose: Physical activity can improve health in people living with and beyond breast cancer; however, how to best support physical activity participation in this population is unclear. This qualitative study sought to identify important physical activity program components for breast cancer.

Methods: Women with previous breast cancer (n = 11) and allied health professionals (n = 7) participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews (n = 15) or focus groups (n = 1). Qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis methods.

Results: Four main themes were generated including (1) the need for physical activity programs; (2) person-centered programs; (3) flexible physical activity programs; and (4) systems factors. These reflected the health and non-health benefits of physical activity, the need to facilitate agency, the diversity in individual characteristics, preferences, abilities, and commitments of people with lived experience of cancer, as well as the need for physical activity programs to be integrated within the broader health system.

Conclusion: Strategies to support physical activity engagement for breast cancer should embrace the diversity of those who are diagnosed with cancer as well as the diversity in which physical activity can be achieved.

Keywords: Breast neoplasm; Exercise; Female; Neoplasm; Qualitative research.

MeSH terms

Allied Health Personnel
Breast Neoplasms*
Exercise
Female
Focus Groups
Humans
Qualitative Research

Grants and funding

VCA MCRF 18005/Victorian Cancer Agency