None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This trial aims to assess the implementation of a supervised telehealth group exercise program for patients with a cancer diagnosis. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 or above, have been diagnosed with cancer, and are receiving or have received treatment at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland. Study details All participants will receive 12 weeks of twice weekly, supervised 50-minute exercise sessions via the online platform Virtual Clinic, as well as a home exercise program to complete once per week using the app PhysiApp. Participants will also wear a fitness watch for 7 days at the beginning and end of the exercise program to monitor physical activity. Both before and after completion of the exercise program, participants will complete a number of questionnaires and tests of physical fitness, as well as a survey regarding perceptions of the program and cost incurred or saved as part of the program. It is hoped that this study may demonstrate that a telehealth group exercise program is feasible, acceptable, and effective for improving physical fitness in patients with a cancer diagnosis.
Interventions
This study is an implementation study of a telehealth exercise program. Participants with a history of cancer will be invited to join a 12-week, twice-weekly telehealth exercise program delivered by a physiotherapist. In addition to twice-weekly telehealth sessions, participants will complete one prescribed home exercise session.
Participants will be provided with the following equipment to facilitate their exercise: resistance bands plus door anchor, exercise mat, exercise step, activity track
This study is an implementation study of a telehealth exercise program. Participants with a history of cancer will be invited to join a 12-week, twice-weekly telehealth exercise program delivered by a physiotherapist. In addition to twice-weekly telehealth sessions, participants will complete one prescribed home exercise session. Participants will be provided with the following equipment to facilitate their exercise: resistance bands plus door anchor, exercise mat, exercise step, activity tracker. Participants will undergo an initial and post-program assessment involving the measurement of self-reported measures and physical measures. The physical measures at the initial assessment will inform the prescription of exercise type and intensity during the telehealth and home sessions. The telehealth exercise sessions will be delivered by one physiotherapist and attended by up to five participants. The session will last for approximately 50 mins, and include a warm up, aerobic exercises, resistance exercises, balance, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and flexibility exercises plus a cool down. Adherence to the telehealth exercise sessions will be recorded in the departmental appointment scheduling system. Exercise prescription in the initial phase of the participant's program will aim for a Borg of 13 (moderate, 40 – 50% VO2 max) (Borg refers to the Borg scale of perceived exertion, 6 = no exertion, 20 = maximal exertion). After the initial phase, the participant will enter the improvement phase, during which exercise prescription will aim for a Borg of 13 – 15 (somewhat hard to hard, 70 – 80% VO2 max). Exercise progression will occur when the Borg is < 11 (fairly light) for 2 – 3 sessions. The home exercises will be prescribed by the physiotherapist to the participant via PhysiApp, a mobile phone application associated with the website PhysiTrack. This app will provide participants with images and videos as well as the prescription, and allow the participant to log the completed number of sets and reps, for weekly review by the physiotherapist and progression when appropriate. The record of exercises completed logged by the participant in the PhysiApp will be the method of monitoring adherence to the home exercise program. Participants will be asked to complete one home exercise session per week, lasting approximately 30 minutes duration per session. Examples of home exercises include: step ups; theraband bicep curls; lunges; theraband scapular retraction. The telehealth sessions will be delivered via the platform Virtual Clinic from the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) to participants' homes (computer/laptop/tablet/phone device). The physiotherapists conducting assessments and delivering the telehealth sessions will have experience delivering the in-person exercise program to patients with a cancer diagnosis at PAH, and will have procedural manuals and mentoring from senior physiotherapists within the research team available to support them.
Sponsors
Princess Alexandra Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Cohort one: patients Patients with a cancer diagnosis who are undergoing oncology treatment or have completed oncology treatment at PAH, who are referred to the exercise class, will form cohort one. The eligibility criteria to participate in this research project are based on the existing criteria for participation in the in-person exercise program. Inclusion criteria: • Adults (at least 18 years of age) • History of cancer for which they are receiving/have received treatment at PAH • Medical clearance to exercise provided by their treating medical specialist • Able to provide informed consent • Access to internet at home suitable for telehealth participation • Access to smart phone, computer, tablet or other device at home with camera and microphone • Sufficient space within their home to exercise (4m2 is considered sufficient space) Cohort two: staff (service stakeholder group) Inclusion criteria: • PAH staff member involved in the telehealth model of care as a physiotherapist, referrer, administration officer or line manager
Exclusion criteria
Cohort One: patients Exclusion criteria: • Medical clearance to exercise not given by treating medical specialist – careful consideration will be given to patients with conditions/history including, but not limited to: Significant or active cardiovascular condition; Severe aortic stenosis; Uncontrolled hypertension; Poorly controlled diabetes; Recent pulmonary embolus; Dyspnoea at rest or with minimal activity; Recent major surgery • Pregnant women • Non-English speaking background (NESB) requiring the use of an interpreter to access health services • Those with intellectual or cognitive or psychiatric conditions that, in the judgement of the medical specialist or physiotherapist, could impair ability to safely participate in the class Cohort Two: staff (service stakeholder group) No specific exclusion criteria applied to those who meet the inclusion criteria - all participants will be PAH staff members involved in the telehealth model of care as a physiotherapist, referrer, administration officer or line manager
Outcome results
None listed