Formative research to adapt a cardiac rehabilitation program to breast cancer survivors: the heart health after cancer treatment (HEART-ACT) study.

Background: Breast cancer survivors are disproportionately at risk for cardiovascular disease; exercise-based interventions may improve cardiovascular health. The objective of this formative research is to better understand the needs of patients and barriers to participation in an adapted cardiac rehabilitation program for diverse breast cancer survivors in an urban safety net setting.

Methods: We recruited 30 participants (10 English-speaking, 10 Spanish-speaking, and 10 Cantonese-speaking) who had received treatment with curative intent for breast cancer from an urban safety net hospital between November 9, 2021, to August 30, 2022. Participants completed surveys and interviews about perspectives on health behaviors and participating in an adapted cardiac rehabilitation program. Interviews were qualitatively analyzed using rapid template analysis with pre-selected constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, as well as emergent codes. We developed a Participant User Journey for a program based on responses and conducted human-centered design sessions with 8 participants to iteratively revise the Participant User Journey.

Results: Among 30 participants, mean age was 56.7 years (standard deviation [SD] 10.2) with 100% female sex assigned at birth; 1 participant withdrew before completing study procedures. Most participants had limited health literacy (18/29, 62%). Mean body mass index was 31.4 (SD 8.3), 21/29 (72%) had blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg, and 12/29 (41%) had blood pressure below 130/80. Mean 6-minute walk distance was 384.9 meters (SD 78.3). The desired benefits of a program included healthy living and prevention of cancer recurrence. Barriers to participation included motivation, social support, transportation, and concerns about exercise safety. Participants emphasized the need for practicality, such as fitting physical activity into daily life and nutrition support, including recipes and shopping lists. Trusted experts and cultural and language concordance were viewed as important aspects of the program.

Conclusions: Through participant interviews and human-centered design sessions, we developed the HEART-ACT program, a 12-week multi-disciplinary program addressing physical activity, nutrition, emotional well-being, cardiovascular risk, survivorship, and other components if indicated (e.g., tobacco cessation). Future research will test the effects of this program on patient-centered outcomes.