Speaker
Description
Background
Cancer prehabilitation (prehab) includes exercise, nutritional optimisation, and support for emotional wellbeing, before cancer treatment. Despite demonstrated benefits for recovery, access to and engagement with cancer prehab remain inequitable, particularly among people from minority ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. To address this, we co‑produced an online Inclusive Prehabilitation education package (‘I‑Prehab’) to support cancer care workers, including physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, and exercise instructors. This study explored the feasibility of delivering and evaluating I‑Prehab.
Methods
This was a single‑arm mixed‑methods feasibility study. I‑Prehab was launched through in‑person, online, and hybrid roadshows at four National Health Service sites (Wales=3, England=1), with additional promotion via Cancer Alliances and Nursing and Allied Health Professional Cancer Leads. Primary feasibility outcomes were recruitment to and completion of all six I-Prehab modules, including understanding and engaging the person with cancer, harnessing support of others, and making resources and services inclusive. Pre‑ and post‑education questionnaires assessed perceived knowledge of inclusive prehabilitation practices using bespoke items rated on a six‑point Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree), and confidence in healthcare communication using the validated Self‑Efficacy‑12 (SE‑12) measure (score range 12–120).
Results
I-Prehab roadshows were accessed by 126 cancer care workers, of whom 50 commenced I-Prehab education (40%). A further 51 commenced I-Prehab via alternative routes. Overall, 95 were recruited for I-Prehab evaluation; 78/95 (83%) completed all I-Prehab modules and provided valid pre- and post-education questionnaires. Self-reported knowledge increased for 67/77 (87%) participants, and in all six areas assessed; Median total score, before=27 (IQR 24-31), after=36 (IQR 31-36) (p<0.05). Median SE-12 scores increased from 91 (IQR 83-95) to 106 (IQR 5-113) (p<0.05). Both outcomes had medium-large effect size (Cohen’s d=0.78 and 0.74, respectively).
Conclusion
Delivering and evaluating I‑Prehab education was feasible and may equip cancer care workers with knowledge and skills to deliver equitable, person-centred prehabilitation.
Keywords
Inclusion, Prehabilitation, Cancer Care, Health Equity
| Abstract submitters declaration | yes |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest & Ethical Approval | yes |
