Exercise barriers and facilitators during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a qualitative study

Tripartite prehabilitation of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes during intensive chemotherapy before allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (COHABILIT): protocol for an innovating prospective multicentre study

OBJECTIVES

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are often treated with intensive chemotherapy followed by allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The pretransplant treatment results in a general deterioration of the patient's health and quality of life. Furthermore, allo-HSCT can be responsible for significant toxicity with risks of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Developing strategies to prevent physical deconditioning, undernutrition and psychological distress could help maintain a satisfactory general state of health before transplantation and thus limit these deleterious effects. This protocol evaluates the feasibility and adherence to a personalised prehabilitation programme, which can be modulated and assisted by connected objects, provided from the diagnosis to the allo-HSCT.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This multicentre interventional study will include 50 patients treated for AML or high-risk MDS with intensive chemotherapy and eligible for allo-HSCT. The intervention consists of a coached, supervised or self-directed physical activity programme, organised during the hospitalisation phases and periods at home. At the same time, patients will receive a weekly dietary follow-up. The whole intervention is controlled and modulated through the use of a dedicated application and connected objects allowing adaptation and individualisation. The rate of participation in the prescribed physical activity sessions will assess the feasibility of this study. In addition, the evolution of physical capacities (Short Physical Performance Battery, grip and quadriceps strengths), psychosocial parameters (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Leukaemia, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Fatigue, subjective well-being, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, self-efficacy, Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire, interviews) and clinical status (weight, lean body mass, survival rate, number of infections, days of hospitalisation, GvHD) will be evaluated.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study procedures have been approved by the National Ethics Committee (21.00223.000003). Consent is given in person by each participant. The information collected on the participants contains only a non-identifiable study identifier. The results of this protocol will be published in a scientific paper and communicated to the medical staff of the medical centre.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03595787.

Barriers and facilitators to physical activity prehabilitation in patients with kidney cancer

PURPOSE

Timely and effective physical activity (PA) prehabilitation is an evidence-based approach for improving a patient's health status preoperatively. Identifying barriers and facilitators to PA prehabilitation can help inform best practices for exercise prehabilitation program implementation. We explore the barriers and facilitators to PA prehabilitation in patients undergoing nephrectomy.

METHODS

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted by interviewing 20 patients scheduled for nephrectomy. Interviewees were selected via convenience sampling strategy. The interviews were semi-structured and discussed experienced and perceived barriers/facilitators to PA prehabilitation. Interview transcripts were imported to Nvivo 12 for coding and semantic content analysis. A codebook was independently created and collectively validated. Themes of barriers and facilitators were identified and summarized in descriptive findings based on frequency of themes.

RESULTS

Five relevant themes of barriers to PA prehabilitation emerged: 1) mental factors, 2) personal responsibilities, 3) physical capacity, 4) health conditions, and 5) lack of exercise facilities. Contrarily, facilitators potentially contributing to PA prehabilitation adherence in kidney cancer included 1) holistic health, 2) social and professional support, 3) acknowledgment of health benefits, 4) exercise type and guidance, and 5) Communication channels.

CONCLUSION AND KEY FINDINGS

Kidney cancer patient's adherence to physical activity prehabilitation is influenced by multiple biopsychosocial barriers and facilitators. Hence, adherence to physical activity prehabilitation requires timely adaptation of health beliefs and behavior embedded in the reported barriers and facilitators. For this reason, prehabilitation strategies should strive to be patient-centered and include health behavioral change theories as underlying frameworks for sustaining patient engagement and self-efficacy.

Exercise Preferences, Barriers, and Facilitators of Individuals With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy Before Stem Cell Transplantation: A Mixed-Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Exercise can help mitigate side effects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), particularly when initiated before HSCT. However, the exercise-related barriers, facilitators, and preferences of this population remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the patient experience to inform future implementation of a prehabilitation intervention.

INTERVENTIONS/METHODS

A 2-phase sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted using (1) cross-sectional survey and (2) focus groups. Survey questions aligned with the Theoretical Domains Framework. Focus group data were analyzed using a directed content analysis approach, followed by inductive thematic analysis to generate themes that represented the exercise-related barriers, facilitators, and preferences of participants.

RESULTS

Twenty-six participants completed phase 1 (n = 22 with multiple myeloma). Fifty percent of participants (n = 13) were fairly/very confident in their ability to exercise pre-HSCT. Eleven participants completed phase 2. Exercise barriers included knowledge/skill limitations, inadequate healthcare provider support, and the emotional toll of treatment. Facilitators included social support and goals. Exercise preferences were related to 2 themes: (1) program structure (subthemes: prescription and scheduling, mode of delivery) and (2) support (subthemes: support from personnel, tailoring, and education).

CONCLUSION

Key exercise-related barriers included knowledge limitations, disease/treatment effects, and inadequate support. Prehabilitation should be tailored, flexible, and include education and a virtual or hybrid delivery model in this population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Nurses are well positioned to identify functional limitations and counsel and refer patients to exercise programming and/or physiotherapy services. Including an exercise professional in the pretransplant care team would provide key supportive care assistance for the nursing team.

An 8-step approach for the systematic development of an evidence-based exercise program for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Background

A tailored and reliable intervention program developed based on evidence is necessary for patients with serious health conditions.

Objective

We describe the development of an exercise program for HSCT patients based on evidence from a systematic process.

Methods

We developed the exercise program for HSCT patients using eight systematic steps: (1) a literature review, (2) understanding patient characteristics, (3) first expert group discussion, (4) development of the first draft of the exercise program, (5) a pre-test, (6) second expert group discussion, (7) a pilot randomized controlled trial (n=21), and (8) a focus group interview.

Results

The developed exercise program was unsupervised and consisted of different exercises and intensities according to the patients' hospital room and health condition. Participants were provided with instructions for the exercise program, exercise videos via smartphone, and prior education sessions. In the pilot trial, the adherence to the exercise program was only 44.7%, however, some changes in physical functioning and body composition favored the exercise group despite the small sample size.

Conclusion

Strategies to improve adherence to this exercise program and larger sample sizes are needed to adequately test if the developed exercise program may help patients improve physical and hematologic recovery after HSCT. This study may help researchers develop a safe and effective evidence-based exercise program for their intervention studies. Moreover, the developed program may benefit the physical and hematological recovery in patients undergoing HSCT in larger trials, if exercise adherence is improved.

Clinical trial registration

https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=24233&search_page=L, identifier KCT 0008269.

Exercise Interventions During Hospitalization for Stem Cell Transplantation: An Integrative Review

Exercise interventions may influence adverse effects experienced during hospitalization for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Adherence to exercise interventions is challenging. This review aimed to synthesize the literature to identify exercise interventions implemented during hospitalization for HSCT, including intervention characteristics, adherence, barriers and facilitators, and behavior change techniques using the behavior change technique taxonomy. A review of PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase was completed. The sample included 19 studies. Exercise interventions demonstrated heterogeneity in prescription components, definitions, measures, and reporting of adherence. Barriers and facilitators of adherence to exercise were reported infrequently. Behavior change techniques most frequently used in studies reporting adherence rates of ≥75% included instruction on how to perform the behavior, graded tasks, and adding objects to the environment. The heterogeneity in definitions and measures of adherence limit forming conclusions to identify barriers and facilitators and determine which behavior change techniques increase adherence to exercise during HSCT.

Exercise in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: a qualitative representation of the patient perspective

PURPOSE

Exercise is emerging as a vital aspect of care to alleviate the physical and psychosocial symptom burden associated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Understanding the patient perspective regarding exercise is important to move towards implementation. This study aimed to characterise experiences and views regarding participation in an exercise program in adults receiving treatment for haematological disease with allogeneic BMT.

METHODS

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 participants from either an early- or late-commencing supervised group-based exercise program. Using an inductive, conventional approach to qualitative content analysis data were independently analysed by two researchers.

RESULTS

Six major themes and 33 sub-themes were identified: this encompassed motivation, physical opportunity and capability to exercise; psychosocial effects of group-based exercise; experienced impact of participation in an exercise program; and intervention design considerations. Key barriers to exercise included symptom severity and fluctuating health and distance or difficult access to an exercise facility or equipment, whilst facilitators included encouragement from staff; peer support in the group-based setting; flexibility; education; and ability to measure change.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the importance of a flexible approach to exercise with consideration of individual symptoms and preferences. The perceived psychological impact of exercise should not be underestimated; future exercise programs should be designed in partnership with patients, with consideration of group-based activities to reduce social isolation if this is feasible in the treatment context. Intervention design should also acknowledge the individual's physical and psychological capability, opportunity and automatic and reflective motivation to direct and sustain exercise behaviours following BMT.