Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39894856›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Physical activity promotion and participation for people living with and beyond head and neck cancer: A mixed methods study.

Hannah C Doughty, Kerry Woolfall, Ruaraidh A Hill, Adrian W Midgley, Joanne M Patterson, Lynne M Boddy, Simon N Rogers, Nefyn H Williams

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Barriers and facilitators of physical activity in patients with oral cancer during surgical hospitalization: insights from a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hannah C DoughtyDepartment of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GL, UK. H.C.Doughty@ljmu.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0493-6423
Kerry WoolfallDepartment of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5726-5304
Ruaraidh A HillLiverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, Department of Health Data Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2801-0505
Adrian W MidgleyDepartment of Sport and Physical Activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, L39 4QP, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6139-4168
Joanne M PattersonLiverpool Head and Neck Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GB, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4990-302X
Lynne M BoddyThe Physical Activity Exchange, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 2EX, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7477-4389
Simon N RogersHead and Neck Centre, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Wirral, CH49 5PE, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5989-6142
Nefyn H WilliamsDepartment of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8078-409X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeHead and neck cancer (HaNC) can be debilitating, resulting in high symptom burden. Physical activity (PA) can improve quality of life; however, less than 9% of HaNC patients are physically active. This study explored barriers to, and facilitators of, PA promotion and participation for HaNC patients.

methodsSemi-structured interviews with patients, family members and healthcare professionals were conducted. A questionnaire was used to measure patients' self-reported self-efficacy (The General Self-Efficacy Scale) and patients' and healthcare professionals' self-reported PA (The International PA Questionnaire - Short Form). Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Data were synthesised drawing on the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour model and the Theoretical Domains Framework.

resultsTwenty-eight patients, 10 family members and 18 healthcare professionals participated. Most patients self-reported moderate-to-high levels of PA and self-efficacy. Professionals self-reported high levels of PA. Patients were unaware of the benefits of PA for managing side effects and improving quality of life. Family members and professionals were fearful of patients causing themselves harm by being physically active (reflective motivation and beliefs about consequences). Some professionals did not consider it within their role to promote PA to HaNC patients. Many professionals stated they required training in PA promotion, and patients and family members stated they required information and guidance (psychological capability and knowledge).

conclusionThe responsibility of PA promotion is multidisciplinary and educating patients on the benefits and safety of PA may mitigate treatment-related side effects and improve quality of life. Future research should explore if barriers to, and facilitators of, PA behaviour change over a patient's treatment trajectory.

Indexed as

ExerciseHead and Neck NeoplasmsHealth PromotionAdultAgedFamilyFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedMotivationQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeSelf EfficacyBarrierCancerFacilitatorsHealthcare professionalsPhysical activity promotionSelf-efficacy

Identifiers

PMID39894856
PMCPMC11788227

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.