Healthcare professionals' perceived barriers and facilitators of health behavior support provision: A qualitative study

BOUWMAN, Eline, Saskia M F PLUIJM, Iridi STOLLMAN, Vera ARAUJO-SOARES, Nicole M A BLIJLEVENS, Cecilia FOLLIN, Jeanette Falck WINTHER, Lars HJORTH, Tomáš KEPÁK, Kateřina KEPÁKOVÁ, Leontien C M KREMER, Monica MURACA, H J VAN DER PAL HELENA, Carina SCHNEIDER, Anne UYTTEBROECK, Gertrui VERCRUYSSE, Roderick SKINNER, Morven C BROWN, Rosella P M G HERMENS and Jacqueline J LOONEN. Healthcare professionals' perceived barriers and facilitators of health behavior support provision: A qualitative study. Cancer Medicine. HOBOKEN: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2023, vol. 12, No 6, p. 7414-7426. ISSN 2045-7634. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cam4.5445.

Basic information

• Original name: Healthcare professionals' perceived barriers and facilitators of health behavior support provision: A qualitative study
• Authors: BOUWMAN, Eline (guarantor), Saskia M F PLUIJM, Iridi STOLLMAN, Vera ARAUJO-SOARES, Nicole M A BLIJLEVENS, Cecilia FOLLIN, Jeanette Falck WINTHER, Lars HJORTH, Tomáš KEPÁK (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Kateřina KEPÁKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Leontien C M KREMER, Monica MURACA, H J VAN DER PAL HELENA, Carina SCHNEIDER, Anne UYTTEBROECK, Gertrui VERCRUYSSE, Roderick SKINNER, Morven C BROWN, Rosella P M G HERMENS and Jacqueline J LOONEN.
• Edition: Cancer Medicine, HOBOKEN, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2023, 2045-7634.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30204 Oncology
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 4.000 in 2022
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14110/23:00130261
• Organization unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cam4.5445
• UT WoS: 000888917300001
• Keywords in English: clinical management; pediatric cancer; screening; survival
• Tags: 14110321, rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

BackgroundChildhood cancer survivors (CCSs) have an increased risk of developing chronic health conditions. Evidence suggests that poor health behaviors further increase health risks. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in survivorship care have a key role in providing health behavior support (HBS) but can feel limited in their ability to do so. This study aims to explore European HCPs perceived facilitators and barriers to providing HBS to CCSs. MethodsFive focus groups with 30 HCPs from survivorship care clinics across Europe were conducted. Topic guides were informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to capture domains that may influence provision of HBS. Focus groups were analyzed with thematic analysis. Transcripts were inductively coded, after which axial coding was applied to organize codes into categories. Finally, categories were mapped onto the TDF domains. ResultsNine TDF domains were identified in the data. The most commonly reported TDF domains were "Knowledge", "Skills", and "Environmental context and resources". HCPs indicated that their lack of knowledge of the association between late effects and health behaviors, besides time restrictions, were barriers to HBS. Facilitators for HBS included possession of skills needed to pass on health behavior information, good clinic organization, and an established network of HCPs. ConclusionsThis study identified education and training of HCPs as key opportunities to improve HBS. Survivorship care clinics should work towards establishing well-integrated structured care with internal and external networks including HBS being part of routine care. Proper understanding of facilitators and barriers should lead to better survivorship care for CCSs.