Patient and Health Care Professional Perspectives on Barriers to and Facilitators of Healthy Eating and Exercise Among Patients With Cancer at a Safety-Net Oncology Clinic: A Qualitative Exploration.

Purpose: Previous studies have described barriers to and facilitators of healthy eating and being physically active among patients with cancer, but few have done so in a safety-net community oncology setting.

Materials and methods: To understand multiple perspectives on the factors that influence diet and exercise in patients with cancer treated in safety-net settings, we conducted semistructured interviews between June and November 2021 with patients and oncology clinic medical professionals at a safety-net hospital in Houston, TX.

Results: Thirty-one patients with cancer were interviewed, including 11 patients on active treatment and 20 survivors, as well as 21 care health care professionals. Most patients thought that they had a healthy diet but did not exercise enough, mainly because of cancer-related symptoms. The majority stated that they would like to participate in healthy living programs and follow their doctor's recommendations although only half noted receiving any recommendations from their provider. Health care professionals perceived patients' barriers to healthy diet and exercise as lack of knowledge, low access to resources, and low motivation, potentially impacting adherence to lifestyle recommendations.

Conclusion: Patients with cancer in a safety-net oncology clinic were motivated to participate in healthy living activities. However, health care professionals believed that patients faced barriers with the potential to impact adherence to health care professional recommendations. Further research is needed to better understand and optimize lifestyle counseling in a safety-net oncology setting and explore potential referral pathways to healthy living programs for patients.