Types of Social Support Predicting Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Group Exercise Programs for Adults Living with Cancer.

Social support (SS) and physical activity (PA) can improve quality of life (QoL) in cancer, meaning group PA programs are important for rehabilitation. However, there are many types of SS, and few studies have compared which SS concepts are more strongly associated with PA and QoL. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined the association between several types of SS provided by other people in group exercise oncology classes and PA and QoL among adults living with cancer.

Social Support Behaviours and Barriers in Group Online Exercise Classes for Adults Living with and beyond Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

Social support can be facilitated through exercise programs for people living with cancer, but there is limited research on how best to foster it in online exercise oncology classes. This study examined current training that fitness professionals receive on the provision and facilitation of social support, experiences people living with cancer have with social support, and supportive behaviours and barriers for providing and obtaining support in online group exercise oncology programs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Guided by interpretive description methodology, training materials were reviewed, observations of fitness professional training and online exercise classes ( 10) were conducted, and adults living with and beyond cancer ( 19) and fitness professionals ( 15) were interviewed.