Mind the (Knowledge-to-Action) Gap: Exploring Factors that Affect Physical Activity in Breast Cancer Survivors

This program of research aimed to assess the predisposing, reinforcing and enabling factors that influence physical activity (PA) among women with breast cancer from individual, environmental and provider perspectives. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study involving an online questionnaire completed by breast cancer survivors (BCS; N=201). This study aimed to identify unmet needs and preferences for PA resources among BCS. Various forms of social support for PA were identified as salient unmet needs or preferences. Study 2 involved an environmental scan of regional cancer centres in Ontario (N=14) and textual analysis of free and available materials collected from the centres (N=58). The aim of this study was to evaluate cancer centers for PA information and infrastructure. The infrastructure of the cancer centres provided some opportunities for dissemination of PA information. Gathered textual materials were rated favourably, included consequences of physical inactivity, yet included only some behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that are critical for initiating or maintaining PA. Study 3 involved four focus groups with cancer care clinicians (N=27) from cancer centres in southern regions of Ontario. The aim of the focus groups was to examine factors affecting PA counselling between clinicians and BCS. Clinicians found that cancer center administration and clinic flow were barriers to PA counselling, perceived lack of available resources and time constraints. In order to facilitate PA counselling, clinicians wanted resources that were patient-focused and available on multiple platforms. Together, the studies identify key individual, environmental, and practitioner factors that need to be addressed through future research in order to develop appropriate resources to facilitate PA in BCS. Importantly, the predisposing factors include BCSâ age, time since treatment and PA level and cliniciansâ PA attitudes and skills; reinforcing factors included textual materials with few BCTs and social and environmental norms of cancer centres; enabling factors included materials and resources for BCS and clinicians.Ph.D