Experiences of an exercise program: Perspectives from breast cancer survivors

Abstract

Few studies have examined how breast cancer survivors experience an individually tailored group exercise program designed to help mitigate physical and psychosocial challenges and improve health outcomes. This research used qualitative interviews to provide insight into what motivates breast cancer survivors to join an exercise program, what they hope to gain from exercise programs, the barriers they experience to participation, and their overall satisfaction with the program. Thirty-three breast cancer survivors from Atlantic Canada completed semi-structured, qualitative interviews following the completion of a twelve-week supervised exercise program, and thematic analysis was applied to transcripts of the interviews. Our findings suggest of the participants generally enrolled in the program, in hopes of increasing energy levels and muscular strength, most reported increases in both outcomes by the end of the program, and obstacles to participation included fatigue, poor physical health, and access challenges.