Health Fitness Professionals’ Perceptions to Offering a Cancer Exercise Program: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to qualitatively investigate fitness professionals’ perceptions of barriers and enablers to offering community-based exercise programs targeting cancer survivors at their fitness and/or community centers. Methods: A qualitative case study approach incorporating Web-based survey and semistructured interview components was used to evaluate community-based fitness professionals’ programming perceptions. Results: A total of seven subjects completed a semistructured interview. Data analysis using content analysis and the constant comparative method process revealed three primary domains with 11 underlying themes: 1) program barriers (education and awareness, physician referral, cost, and care along the cancer continuum); 2) program enablers (champion advocacy, sponsor/funding, personnel, and propositional solutions); and 3) program perceptions (social support, gym atmosphere, and cancer-specific modifications). Conclusions: Findings from this qualitative study identified multiple domains and themes articulating health and fitness professionals’ perceptions of key barriers, enablers, and programmatic aspects in offering community-based exercise cancer programming. These results have important implications for guiding the design and delivery of community-based exercise programs for cancer survivors and represent an advance in the current literature surrounding implementation strategies in a clinic-to-community translational model of exercise-based supportive cancer care.