359P - Unveiling the factors influencing exercise engagement in breast cancer patients: Insights from the early recovery phase

Background

Although engaging in exercise after breast cancer surgery (BCS) has been shown to facilitate faster recovery, factors influencing exercise participation during the early recovery phase remain unclear in breast cancer patients. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and barriers to exercise in breast cancer patients immediately after surgery and up to 4 weeks post-surgery.

Methods

A descriptive qualitative research method was employed to investigate this topic. A purposive sample of 33 breast cancer patients was selected, and each participant was interviewed three times over a one-month period after surgery.

Results

We found physical constraints and psychological resistance were identified as barriers to exercise. Postoperative physical symptoms (pain, range of motion, lack of fitness, and seroma) and surgical drains were identified as physical constraints. Participants also faced psychological resistance such as concerns about side effects, lack of willpower, and fear of pain. Furthermore, a lack of trustworthy information regarding the timing of exercise initiation and proper types of exercise after surgery was identified as a psychological resistance. Table: 359P

Themes, codes, and categories from the interviews

Conclusions

The identified barriers, both physical and psychological, should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to motivate and support patients in engaging in exercise. The identified barriers, both physical and psychological, should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to motivate and support patients in engaging in exercise.

Clinical trial identification

This study involves human participants and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Severance Hospital (IRB No. 4-2018-1094).

Editorial acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant number NRF-­2017S1A5A2A01024689, NRF-­2021S1A5B5A16077404, the National R&D Programme for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (HA21C0067000021) and the Yonsei Signature Research Cluster Programme 2021­22­0009.

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant number NRF-2017S1A5A2A01024689, NRF-2021S1A5B5A16077404, the National R&D Programme for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (HA21C0067000021) and the Yonsei Signature Research Cluster Programme 2021220009.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.